Down the Road
by White Rabbit Tale
Summary: Naruku must deal with the repercussions of her actions, both past and present, as she travels from Tokyo alone. As they wait for her return, the Kenshingumi must face problems of their own.
1. A Night Alone

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, nor do I claim to.**

This is the first chapter of the re-written _Down the Next Road._ It's re-written and fabulous. I'm thankful that I finally got off my ass to re-write it, because this fic was bothering me becuse it sucked so bad. But hopefully, now I can create something I am actually proud of. It's definately going to be monsterously different than the original, so stick around.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter One**

******A Night Alone **

**I**t started with a letter from Kyoto and then she was sitting side-by-side with Yahiko, drinking tea. She didn't read the letter, but every time she took a sip the letter started to tear. It was Yahiko ripping it up.

Kaoru came in to sweep then, but Naruku kept getting in the way. The broom hit her shoulders and, fed up, she began clearing the dishes from the table. It was always her job to clear the dishes; she'd been doing it for weeks. Just like how Kenshin always did the laundry.

They were fishing. Kaoru wanted a nice big catfish to give to Megumi. So Naruku and Kenshin sat on the bridge, bamboo fishing poles held out with their lines in the water. Kenshin said he would teach her the Ryu-Kan-Sen. She was ready; she just needed to catch a fish now.

They were in the middle of the bridge, the best place to catch something. Clearly the fish didn't like her; otherwise they would bite, wouldn't they? She tried to find a rock to toss into the water, but no, that would just scare them. She watched as Kenshin's pile of fish grew, and hers remained as nothing. She needed more fish to prove that she lived there.

She caught one and tossed it back in. She didn't know why, she wished she still had it.

Sano was there then, telling them it was time for dinner at the dojo. He always knew what time dinner was.

Kenshin said okay, they'd train more tomorrow.

And all that time they had been training. She caught up to Kenshin and it seemed like time had slowed down, along with their footsteps. He put his arm around her as the sun set. She didn't want to, but she laughed, and Kenshin's hand was on her cheek.

It wasn't the sand, he told her, it was the wind. She really had no idea what it meant. But he wouldn't say anything until she did.

Naruku did you hear me? Naruku. The sound of her name, his voice. And nothing else mattered.

Their faces came close to each other, but Naruku stopped. She couldn't, she would put him in danger.

Why? She would, she would, she would. She would put him in danger, she knew it.

I don't care, Kenshin said. I don't care. That was all he said, and he pulled her close again.

I don't care.

She would be on the train tomorrow, it all had to do with that letter. But Kenshin didn't care, he held her in his arms and hugged her. She didn't cry, she smiled and looked up at him. And in that moment, she was sure…she was so sure…

Naruku awoke; her eyes flickering open slowly, adjusting to the dark hue of the night. Her fire, once bright and alive, was now smoke and a few crackling sparks. It was dark, completely dark. Even the moon seemed to be shunning her.

Running slender fingers through her limp, ragged hair, Naruku sat up. The dream that had been so vivid in her mind now slipped away, just a dim dance of figures in her subconscious.

And in that dance Naruku had been close—so close she could hear the beat of Kenshin's heart. But that warm, comforting sound had faded into the distant chirp of cicadas.

The warm night air slithered across Naruku's shoulders, pressing up against her and suffocating her with its reality. She closed her eyes and lay back in her makeshift bed again.

The dream had been enough to make her feel the dull ache of loneliness again, and she could feel that weakness sliding into her. But the dream had been wonderful, taking her back to a time when that weakness did not matter.

But then she had awakened and remembered she was alone. That she had been alone for the past ten days.

She had nothing but herself under the vast night sky, with nothing but the stars to comfort her.

* * *

Short chapter, but the next one should be along soon. I tried my best to write a _realistic_ dream scene--random and strangely making sense. Those are the kind of dreams I have...just really weird, but in the dream it makes perfect sense. I hope I accomplished that feeling. 

Thanks for reading and please tell me what you think.


	2. A Lesson in Obedience

**Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Rurouni Kenshin. In fact, I DIS claim it.**

Alas! The long-awaited second chapter. Or, first "real" chapter. Be assured, this fic has moved to the top of my priority list (for fanfiction) and the next chapter is already coming along. In the meantime…

I hope you enjoy!

(and a big thanks to my beta, Liem!)

* * *

**Chapter Two **

**A Lesson in Obedience**

**Sendai, Japan**

**12th Year of Meiji**

**July 20**

_I have done everything I can to make Enizu happy, and I'll do this too._

_But the thought of being alone in the cold, harsh world outside sends shivers down my neck. It has been more than a year since we moved up North, away from Tokyo, from Castle Edo._

_An entire year. And now I have to run away. I have half a mind to just stand up and fight these men who are forcing us into hiding. I hate hiding, and running is even worse. _

_But I must put all that aside and do this. For everyone. For Enizu. For me. For you._

_I'll run away, I have to._

_I think of you often, and it gives me strength. So please, don't worry. The next time I see you, though, I will be happy. Because Enizu is coming to find me, and he will take care of me. I hope I can make him as happy as he has made me, though I know he will never be content until he kills Battousai. I don't understand this at all, though I try. How can one man's death bring another such happiness?_

_Enizu says it's for me. He says he's going to find Battousai and kill him for what he did to my father. But I can't have a man die on my behalf! I barely remember my father anymore, it doesn't seem right to kill a man for what happened so long ago. I know my father would not want a life to be taken for his sake._

_But Enizu says that he has to do this—if he doesn't he can't consider himself worthy of me. Once he takes Battousai's life, he says he will marry me. Perhaps then I can make myself worthy of him—I will spend my life trying to be a good wife to him._

_I know you may think this is a silly thing to devote my life to, but my life has changed, and this is what's important to me now._

_I hope you can understand that. I hope that with all my heart._

_--Naruku _

_

* * *

_  
Naruku had thought that being out on the road would give her freedom, room for reflection, a pause in her whirlwind life.

She had thought wrong. All she really felt was lonely. But it was a sort of half-hearted loneliness, the kind that only really ate away at her when she wasn't thinking about her next meal.

Food was the one thing that seemed to occupy Naruku's mind at every waking second. It was hard to say which she preferred more—the gnawing hunger each day or the fear each night of the nightmares that plagued her.

Gruesome images of the deaths of those around her filled her thoughts when the sky went black. But when the sun was out, Naruku could think only of her own death. Ravaged by a bear, drowned in a river and starved to death were just a few scenarios Naruku had, very wryly, thought up for herself.

"I know what I'll do," Naruku announced to the trees. "Next town I see I'll get a job."

Luck was on Naruku's side that night, for as soon as the sun began to set, the lights of a nearby town could be seen, glowing near the horizon. Excitement bubbling in her belly, Naruku ran ahead. She would not stop until she reached it, and there she would rest, because she doubted she could last another moment without something to fill her stomach.

When she reached the town she found that most of the buildings already had their lanterns extinguished. The size of the town did not lend itself to tourism—it was probably a town whose purpose was to house all the men traveling from Yokohama harbor back to their homes in Kyoto or Tokyo. A place for travelers, but not a place for vagrants, especially not those who had no money to speak of.

Naruku's plan was to find any shelter to spend the night in and find an inn in the morning that she could beg for work at. The trick was to find a place that was noisy enough for no one to detect Naruku if she broke in.

Unfortunately the entire town seemed to shut down at sundown, and everything was eerily silent. Finally, though, she reached an inn that seemed to be the only one that was still alight, its insides bursting with the sounds of laughter and clanking dishes.

Turning her eyes to the sky in an act of sincere gratitude, Naruku circled around the building. She found a storehouse in the back and tried the door.

Not surprisingly, it was locked. Crouching low down to the ground, she examined the wall with her hands. She grinned to herself when she felt one of the wooden panels give a little when she pushed on it. It was soft from mildew and eaten away by mice.

Glancing around briefly, she stood up and kicked through the panel. The one next to it was easily ripped from its place and soon Naruku had created a hole big enough for her to wriggle through, which she then did with some difficulty.

Picking her way through bent, rusty nails and spider webs that brushed against her skin, Naruku scrambled inside the shed and to her feet, where she stood for several minutes, allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness.

Then she waited a moment or two longer to detect any sound that might indicate a guard was present. She heard soft breathing and a snore that told her to avoid the front most corner of the shed. Creeping silently between rows of food stock, she squinted hard at the items, finding herself frustrated at her inability to discern between rat poison and sake jugs. Finally, though, her eyes fell on something she knew was food—a barrel of apples.

No doubt they were as ripe and juicy and she imagined them to be. Grinning madly, Naruku picked one up and brought it to her mouth.

A loud barking sound startled her and the apple flew from her hand, hitting the ground and rolling away into the darkness.

Panicking, Naruku gathered up as many apples as she could fit into her sleeves and obi before racing back to where she had come. She looked wildly around for her escape as the barking increased and she heard the sounds of the guard waking up.

The sudden thump of feet on the ground told Naruku that she had to get out of there—fast.

"What is it? What is it, boy?" a gruff voice asked as the loud barking continued. "Someone in here?"

The thumping of footsteps came nearer and quicker.

Running wildly, Naruku skidded around one of the shelves, glancing behind her where she could barely make out the figure of a small man running toward her. She tripped—ironically, it was her dropped apple that made her fall—and came crashing to the ground. Her head banged against the floor and she bit back a gasp.

Squinting up through her tears of pain, Naruku could see the figure of a well-dressed, balding man above her.

"You thought you could get away a second time, you ungrateful brat? Trying to steal from the teahouse like this, oh, Mistress will not be pleased…"

Naruku shook her head, trying to clear it. What was this man going on about?

"Didn't you realize you'd get caught if you came back? Stupid whelp."

He disappeared from her line of sight and she took that moment to sit up, her elbows propped up on the floor.

"Well, you better get up and enjoy the rest of the night. You're going to get quite a beating in the morning, I can tell you that much," he gave a hoarse chuckle and walked off.

"Wait, sir," Naruku called after him, struggling to her feet. "Who exactly do you think I am?"

"Don't play these stupid games, Nana," he told her. "No matter where you go you're always going to be a worthless serving girl."

He left, but not without calling, "This place better be spotless and have every apple put back in place when I return tomorrow morning."

Then the door slammed and Naruku was left alone, blinking in the darkness.

-

"Wow, that's the maddest I've ever seen Mistress Shinju. How did you escape a beating?"

The query came from a wide-eyed young girl who sat, scrubbing the floors with Naruku.

Naruku shrugged in reply, somewhat surprised by this girl. "Told her the truth. That I'm not this 'Nana' everyone seems to think I am."

"Oh," the girl replied. Then, "No one really thinks you're her, you know."

"Could have fooled me." Naruku couldn't count the number of times she had been called Nana by the employees of this place.

"Nana-chan was my friend. She ran off a week ago. Then you came wandering here. Same age, same looks, almost. It's just convenient for everyone if you take her place," the girl shrugged.

Naruku nodded, her eyes fixed on the floor as she scrubbed harder, ignoring the pain in her knuckles as they rubbed raw.

"I'm Momoko, by the way," the girl said after a few moments. "You're not really from around here, huh?"

Naruku suppressed a chuckle, the corners of her lips turned in amusement. "Nope."

"And you're not really fourteen, are you?" Momoko went on.

"I'm twenty," Naruku replied sourly.

Momoko seemed vaguely surprised. "Well you're stuck here, and if you want to survive, you better stick with me."

"Stuck here?" Naruku repeated, taking a moment to wipe her hands on the front of her uniform. "For how long?"

"Well, until Mistress Shinju and Takeshi-san accept that you are not Nana-chan," Momoko reasoned.

Naruku blanched. "But…they already believe that, otherwise they would have beaten me, wouldn't they?"

"Mistress Shinju may have said something like 'Go away and don't bother me with your useless runaways' and saved you from a beating. But that only means they know you aren't Nana, which anyone could tell. But they are still pretending like you are," Momoko explained.

"So what do I have to do to stop their pretending?" Naruku asked, thoroughly disheartened.

"Probably you'll have to find the real Nana-chan," Momoko replied, and Naruku could sense a twinge of despair from the younger girl. "In the meantime, just listen to what Mistress Shinju and Takeshi-san say. If they call you by Nana's name, just respond to it."

"Sure," Naruku replied, focusing all her energy on the floor again and wondering for the fiftieth time how she'd ever ended up in this situation. "I can do that."

* * *

Kaoru wondered each day whether Naruku had walked out of their lives forever and, if she had, how it would affect Kenshin. She didn't know what had transpired between the two of them just before Naruku's departure, and she hadn't the heart to ask. 

But sometimes she would catch him sitting out on the porch, or doing the laundry, or gathering water from the well with an unwarranted look of concentration on his face.

Often she asked him what he was thinking of. His reply was always the same.

"Nothing, Kaoru-dono."

She always left it at that.

But it seemed to all of them that something was simply missing, as if Naruku had taken a small piece of each of them when she left. They had grown so accustomed to her presence, her laughter and her spirit that when she was gone, it was like she had left a whole in the world, her own imprint.

A week after Naruku's departure, Kaoru was setting the table and put out four plates, four sets of chopsticks and four cups for tea.

"Hey Kaoru, is Sano coming over?" Yahiko wondered in confusion, looking at the table.

Kaoru looked up and wrinkled her forehead. "No. Why do you ask?"

Soundlessly, Yahiko raised one hand and pointed at the extra place Kaoru had set.

All breath seemed to rush out of Kaoru's chest as she looked at the table. Three, not four, people currently lived at the dojo. Three, not four, were having dinner.

"Oh," Kaoru said slowly, wanting to hide in shame. "I guess I just thought…" she swallowed and didn't continue.

Yahiko seemed to realize what she thought because he quickly changed the topic and made some jab about Kaoru's cooking and danced out of her reach when she got angry.

In the days following, Kaoru couldn't help being reminded of the time after Kenshin's departure, almost a year and a half ago. True, Naruku's absence was far less jarring than Kenshin's had been, but that lulling feeling, the sluggish _waiting_ had returned, engulfing them entirely like the heat of summer.

But the lethargy of their days soon dissipated, replaced only with the growing anxiety of a new problem.

-

"Well Kamiya-san, I can't say I'm very impressed with the state of things here," the tall, broad-shouldered man sniffed. Each syllable was said with immaculate pronunciation, as though he were talking to someone who spoke very poor Japanese. "You _still_ have no students, the dojo is in terrible shape and you are currently boarding a homeless man and an orphan. This isn't even taking the mortgage into account. I must say, this dojo has gone right down the drain after your late father's _unfortunate _decease."

Kaoru kept her head bowed. "With all due respect, sir, Kenshin is not homeless and Yahiko is no orphan. They are the only family I have left, now."

With these words she raised her eyes to stare into Hirakatu's defiantly.

"Kamiya-san, you have a very poor perception of what a _family_ is, and it is certainly not what you'd call this little band of scoundrels," Hirakatu replied primly.

Kaoru lowered her eyes again, not daring to respond, but immensely shamed with her own silence. However, she knew if there was any hope for the dojo, she had to bridle the zealous, fierce being inside her that was just waiting for a chance to bite back.

"It's no wonder you have no students. No man would ever subject himself to learning the sword arts from the weaker sex," Hirakatu went on, almost in a bored tone of voice.

The smooth white surfaces of Kaoru's teeth ground against each other.

"The best idea for you at this point is just to sell the dojo, or devote it to some more appropriate purpose."

As much as Kaoru felt like slamming Hirakatu's face into the dirt, she didn't.

She didn't get the chance to, for just then Yahiko came charging up, yelling loudly.

"Kaoru! Hey, Ugly! Ugly!" he cried as he reached where she and Hirakatu were talking. "Jeez I've been calling you for the past ten minutes. What's with you?" He seemed to notice the strange man standing on his porch, for he then added, "Who is this guy?"

"Yahiko-_kun,_ this is Hirakatu-san. I'm sure I told you he would be visiting to _evaluate _our progress as a dojo," Kaoru bit out.

Yahiko looked somewhat bewildered, but he then brightened. "Oh! Coming to challenge the Assistant Master and her First Apprentice, are you?"

His grin was so cocky, so sure, that for a brief moment Kaoru felt very proud to have him.

But that was before his words came crashing down on both her and Hirakatu. How much Kaoru wanted to pummel _both_ men into the dust was hard to say. But it was clear that without Kaoru's remarkable self-control, the two would be rendered immobile for a matter of hours.

"Anyway, we're supposed to be training now, remember Kaoru? You can come back tomorrow if you want a fight," Yahiko said to Hirakatu, waving as if to dismiss him.

Kaoru was horrified and Hirakatu didn't look too happy about being treated as such by a mere child.

He turned to Kaoru. "To make it short, Kamiya_-san_, this dojo's current condition is completely unacceptable. I would be _mortified_ if I were the proprietor of such a poorly-managed establishment."

He folded his papers primly and stuck them in a crisp haori sleeve. "If you cannot come up with the funds to pay the mortgage in a week, I will find a more _worthy _use of this land."

With that he promptly marched out, leaving a gaping Kaoru and her bemused student behind.

"Hey Kaoru, what's that guy talking about? What's the dojo being used for?" Yahiko asked, as though he had done nothing wrong.

Kaoru rounded on his immediately. "You—_you—_I can't believe you—" she spluttered. She was trembling too hard with rage and distress to form words properly.

She sank to the floor, every muscle in her lean body wilting. "Oh Yahiko," she whimpered, the dismay and grief evident in her eyes. "What are we going to do?"

* * *

**End Notes: **Nana means "apple" and Momoko means "peach child." I know, I am a riot (or is that 'idiot?')

Quick Edit has been acting really funky, so if there's anything wrong with this chapter (formatting-wise) please let me know!

And if there's anything wrong with it grammatically, (spiritually?), plotwise or character-wise, I expect that you'll let me know as well.

A quick note on the letter at the beginning (yes, it's a letter): To be honest, I hate italicizing big chunks of text like that. Abusing italics does not a good writer make. However, I have no other way to denote the fact that it's hand-writing, since fanfiction won't let me indent or use a different font. So italics it is, and I hope that doesn't bother you as much as it bothers me!

For those of you who have read the original Down the Road (or Down the NEXT Road as it was called) I'm sure you can tell how very different this version is, and will continue to be.

For those of you who have never read the original version, THANK GOD you don't know how badly I sucked.

That's all for my ranting. Please leave a review!


	3. A Lesson in Desire

**Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Rurouni Kenshin. In fact, I DIS claim it.**

My interests strayed slightly from fanfiction for a week or two, but I'm back on track and better than ever. I think.

Once I sat down to write this chapter, it all just came out. I hope you like the end result.

Another big thanks to my beta, Liem!

* * *

**Chapter Three **

**A Lesson in Desire**

**Tokyo, Japan**

**9th Year of Meiji**

**June 11**

_I am so overwhelmed, I can scarcely write._

_But I feel as if you are the only one I can tell this all to. You have always offered an ear to me, even after all that's happened. I thank you so much for that. Even more, you've never once chosen to divulge any of my tellings to the others, though I don't think I've ever asked you not to._

_I thank you for that as well, and know that you will continue to stay so tight-lipped when I tell you this._

_Enizu and I have begun courting. It didn't happen the way social customs usually dictate. But then, growing up as I have, living as we had, it wouldn't make much sense for decorum to play a part, would it?_

_Enizu has so long been the man who took care of me, it seems…wrong, somehow, for that to have changed to suddenly. He has known me since I was a little girl, little enough to question the sky's blueness or wonder at the meaning behind a songbird's tweet. _

_Is it wrong, somehow, for Enizu to see me as a woman grown…as a desirable young lady?_

_I don't know anymore._

_But how can it possibly be wrong when everything feels so good, so right, when I am beside him? _

_I miss him most right after he is gone, during those lingering seconds when he has just left my room._

_I spent the night with him last night. _

_When I am with him, I feel as if all the pieces of my life fit together…but I know if I told anyone else about this, anyone but you, they would think it wrong, absurd, sinful in some way._

_Would you think that, too?_

_He gave me something, something that will always remind me of his love. And it is so beautiful, I wish that you could see it. It is an abalone shell, taken from the beaches of China and carved into a beautiful, ornate comb. He said that its beauty is diminutive compared to my own. _

_I have never thought of myself as a beautiful person, but Enizu makes it so. I feel wonderful, and I hope one day for you to feel this way as well._

_With Love,_

_Naruku_

_

* * *

_  
Scrubbing floors was not the only thing Naruku found she was required to do. And though scrubbing floors was among her least favorite chores, the other task she was put on was much more wretched.

All evening she had been serving the tables of fat, rich merchants and their pleasurable company. The men were bawdy and loud, the women beautiful and sly, and it reminded Naruku all too much of the dinners that Kanryuu and Enizu had so graciously held for their associates.

And here she was, almost two years later, playing the docile serving girl again.

She _hated _it.

Her only consolation was that none of _these_ men paid her any mind. She was dressed in the simple garb of a servant girl, and certainly she wasn't so stunning as to warrant a second glance from any of the guests, not when they had such beautiful and willing girls on their arms.

She watched, near invisible to these strangers, as they laughed and drank and not so discreetly wandered off to their rooms, coming back in quarter hour intervals with mussed hair and disheveled clothes.

Glancing at Momoko, who seemed to be concentrating very hard on the tea she was serving, Naruku wondered briefly if the girl was condemned to the same fate as these women. To live each day only to be an object, a tool for men.

And, heartbreaking to Naruku, she could see the faintest trace of _longing _in Momoko's eyes. Longing to be as beautiful and as wanted as these women were. Worse yet was how easily Naruku recognized the glint, how much she could remember looking the same way at the women who joined the Takeda brothers' banquets.

She stood back, pausing for a moment in her task, and it seemed as if the scene was somewhere else, that she was looking through a window at it. It was like seeing her past unfold like a fan. And for the first time, nothing hid from her eyes, and she saw only what truly was, not deceived by her own childish intentions.

First the men, their lust, and the women. And then she, that slip of a girl who stood in admiration of it. Wanting to be a part of it.

And how single-mindedly _happy_ she was when Enizu looked at her the same way he looked at those women. Her heart-wrenching need to be wanted, desired, finally sated by these looks.

Was that the price of beauty? To be bound by the desire each day to be looked at, to be appreciated, to be _noticed? _And then the tiresome burden of holding that attention…

She glanced back at Momoko, who had ceased her staring and caught Naruku's glance. She mimed gagging and disappeared through the doors to the kitchen.

Naruku laughed, a little dryly, and followed her, leaving the lewd men and women behind.

"Momoko-chan," Naruku began, hurrying to catch up to the younger girl. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," was the reply as Momoko set to work on refilling a dish of soy sauce.

"The serving girls here…do they ever, you know, move on to other tasks?" she asked this very guardedly, eyeing Momoko for her reaction.

But she was as calm as ever, tipping the soy sauce into the dish with an almost elegant flourish to her actions.

"Certainly," Momoko answered. "Kiku was recently put in charge of restocking the kitchen."

Naruku paled. Momoko couldn't _possibly_ be so naïve and innocent-minded that she…

Momoko looked up at Naruku and grinned mischievously. Naruku was startled with the striking resemblance she had to another young girl Naruku had once known.

"I'm kidding Naruku-san," Momoko answered, filling another dish with soy sauce. "You are right, many of the serving girls here go on to become one of Mistress Shinju's maidens."

"Shinju's maidens?" Naruku repeated, rather puzzled.

"Prostitutes," Momoko clarified promptly, not looking the slightest bit abashed. "The girls here all aspire to—"

"Aspire?" Naruku repeated once again, this time completely lost for words. "But—I mean—you can't _possibly_ want to live like—like _that!_"

Naruku was surprised at how outraged she sounded. "I mean," she went on, calming. "Isn't that why Nana-san escaped?"

"I don't know," Momoko replied truthfully, stacking the soy sauce dishes neatly. "She didn't talk to me before she ran off."

"She didn't?" Naruku asked, rushing to Momoko's side with her empty tea tray still in hand. "But surely—"

"Nana-chan and I were very good friends…as good friends as you can be in a place like this. She knew that if she told me, or if I was in any way connected with her escape, I would be punished. She didn't tell me so that when Mistress Shinju questioned me, I wouldn't have to lie. Nana-chan would never do anything to endanger my future."

_A future of lies and lust…_Naruku thought darkly to herself. When she turned back to Momoko, she found her young friend was already stepping out through the door, back into the bright room with its noisy, libidinous occupants.

Weary, for she had been on her feet all evening, Naruku set down the tea tray with the rest of the dishes and moved over to where the sweet rolls sat, piled high and steaming in a large wicker basket. As she reached for them, so did another hand.

She glanced over, and in doing so, spooked the owner of the other hand, who quickly withdrew into the shadows beneath the counter where she sat.

Naruku knelt, coming eye to eye with the small figure.

"You must be Nana," she said at once, taking in the poor girl's appearance. She was bedraggled and skinny, her brown hair matted down her back. The eyes that blinked through the darkness seemed to match the pair that focused on her, though Nana's were full of misgivings and wariness. Her clothes were unkempt, her lips shaped into what looked almost like a grimace.

All in all, Nana rather reminded Naruku of herself when she had first come to Tokyo.

Nana looked terrified. Tears ran their salty course down her round cheeks. "P-_please_ miss, _please_ don't turn me back in! I…I know they're making you stay here instead of me, but _please_ don't make me go back!"

The thought had not crossed Naruku's mind. Not even in her faintest dreams had she thought to turn this young girl in for her own freedom.

"Why did you come back?" Naruku asked her, placing a comforting hand on the young girl's shoulder.

She sniffled; her tears pouring now uncontrollably down her face. "I…I had to see Momoko again! I wanted her to run away with me…"

"Why?"

"Because she's my best friend!" was the shouted reply. Nana looked at Naruku like she was crazy.

"No," Naruku answered impatiently. "I mean, why are you running away in the first place?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Nana countered, her tears now subsiding somewhat. She took a big gulp of air. "I _hate _this place. I hate what Mistress Shinju and the others do to me here!"

"What do they do?" Naruku questioned, her eyes growing more and more dark as rage bubbled within her.

"They treat me like an object—like an animal! And I hate it. They said 'You're not skinny enough Nana-chan' and took away my dinner. They said 'Your hair is terribly dull' and rubbed liquid in it that burned my scalp. And now it's 'oh you're so pretty Nana-chan!' 'You're going to get many profits' but I hate that even _more._ They want to use me, and they want me to like it," she ended her tirade in a growl.

Nana's words struck Naruku like a hot branding rod. She suddenly felt as if she and this girl, this serving wench, were unequivocally linked, despite having only just met.

As fire burned in Naruku's stomach, she realized the origin of her own anger. Her hatred.

She loathed Enizu for many reasons, that she knew. For killing her father, for using her carelessly, a tool for revenge. For trying to kill Kenshin.

But Naruku now understood that the worst of Enizu's crimes had been his deception. For making her believe he loved her…

And with disgust, Naruku came to the conclusion that the worst offense Enizu had committed against her was very much a fault of her own. How easily she had believed his lies, though warned against them many times.

How effortlessly Enizu had turned her into a puppet. She had been seduced by her own, innocent desires.

And here, this girl Nana had broken from all that and risked her life for something better. Something else. She had escaped from her very own Enizu, had protected her mind and her heart from lies she was told, shielded herself until she could escape…

Naruku looked the younger girl straight in the eye and said very seriously, "I am going to get you out of here if it's the last thing I do."

Nana looked at her in awe and complete gratitude. "Oh Miss!" she cried, jolting forward to hug Naruku.

"No time for that," Naruku whispered, though very pleased with the girl's impulsive action. "Stay here."

With that Naruku stood up, straightening her skirt and trying to look as casual as she could.

A plan was forming very rapidly in Naruku's mind as she gathered the sweet rolls basket in her arms and stepped out into the serving hall. Making sure that no one was looking, Naruku deftly slipped two rolls up into the sleeves of her uniform. Smiling brightly she strode forward with the basket, treading lightly around the guests until she came up just behind Momoko.

"In the kitchen," Naruku hissed into Momoko's ear, keeping her docile expression in place. "Nana-chan. Go now and wait for me."

Then with an exaggerated sweep, Naruku put down the basket of rolls and sauntered away, glancing back only once to make sure that Momoko received her instruction.

When she saw the younger girl making a hasty but dignified exit, Naruku turned around and exited the back way, out into the cool night air. She glanced around before breaking out into a run, heading around to the back where the storage shed was, where the whole mess had started.

As she had predicted, the dog from last time, the one who had given her away, sat in the front. He tensed at her arrival, but Naruku quickly fumbled with her sleeves and held out a pilfered roll to him. He sniffed it and then ate it greedily, licking the crumbs off her hand.

"Okay, I hope you liked that," Naruku said to the dog. "Because now you're going to help me by staying quiet."

The dog whined in reply, pressing to Naruku's side and begging for more rolls.

"Hey! You, wench, what are you doing?" It was the man from before, who had caught Naruku and dubbed her Nana. She had come to know him as Takeshi-san, only a smidgen less strict than Mistress Shinju, who he seemed to admire greatly.

"I, um…one of the guests!" Naruku blurted wildly. "He wanted an apple. I was just going to get one…"

"Oh," Takeshi replied. He couldn't risk having one of the guests unsatisfied. "Hurry up, then."

Without answering, Naruku did as she was told, hastening her steps inside the shed.

Once safely inside and sure that Takeshi was gone, Naruku peered at the shelves, trying to make out the shapes and labels of the items. Blindly she grabbed at anything that looked like food. Apples, dried fish and salted seaweed made their way into Naruku's arms.

Arms overflowing with products, Naruku searched around for a sack. She found one filled with some sort of bran (perhaps it was chicken feed?) and she quickly dumped its contents and filled it with the supplies she was gathering.

Once she felt she had gathered sufficient supplies to get Momoko and Nana to the next town, Naruku stashed the bag behind a barrel and made her way back to the inn. Circumventing the dining hall, Naruku dashed up the stairs to the bedroom she shared with four other serving wenches. No one else was there, for they were all down stairs helping with the feast.

Naruku made quick work of the room, hurrying in case anyone noticed she or Momoko were missing. She took out as many clean, plain-colored clothes as she could and stuffed them all inside one of the laundry bags.

She was about to exit when she remembered her sword, hidden beneath one of the floor panels. She unearthed it hastily and tied it back onto her obi, where it belonged.

Carefully descending the stairs, she made her way outside again, taking care to duck where she knew she'd be visible from the dining hall.

She raced across the grass to the shed and dropped the bag of clothes there as well.

The guard dog barked upon seeing her, but it was not a warning bark, it was a bark of glee. Naruku took a couple seconds to pat the dog's head and watch it's tail flop from side-to-side.

"Guard this as best as you can," she advised, doubting that the dog would do anything of the sort.

She straightened herself up and strode back into the serving hall, rejoining the chaos as if she had not left at all.

As quickly as she could without drawing attention to herself, Naruku slipped back into the kitchen. Her heart was pounding, especially as she realized she still had her sword on her belt. It was a wonder that no one inside had noticed, though most of the guests were too drunk to give thought to a serving wench with a sword.

Still, the other girls might have seen and one of them could rat her out…she would leave before they got the chance.

"Momoko!" Naruku whispered, making her way into the kitchen. "Nana-chan!"

"We're over here!" came Momoko's sweet voice. The tone was louder than Naruku would have liked, but it made finding them easier. Momoko and Nana were huddled together beside the stove. Both seemed anxious and frightened.

"What took so long?" Momoko asked, as if berating Naruku.

She smiled a little. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked seriously.

Momoko managed a nod. "There's nothing for me here."

Naruku looked at them darkly. She did not want to be the one to scare them or shatter their innocent view of the world but then, Naruku thought wryly, their view of the world probably was not as innocent as hers had been at their age.

"You must understand that there will be nothing for you anywhere else, either. No one wants to hire two plain girls who ran away from their teahouse. Understand?"

The thought seemed to shock the two and they exchanged frenzied looks.

"So I ask again, _are you sure you want to do this?_"

There was hesitancy this time, but both girls nodded resolutely.

Naruku's face relaxed. "There is kindness in this world, and I have faith that you two will find somewhere to live, some trade to take on, and eventually some one to love. But you must be careful of who you trust."

They nodded again.

"Good. Now I've got all the supplies in the shed outside. Momoko, it should be easy getting you outside. Just go into the serving room and dawdle for a while until it's clear to slip out the door. Nana, I'm going to try and get you through this window here." Naruku pointed above the counter, where a square window was propped open.

"Can I leave now?" Momoko questioned, getting up from her spot.

"Yes. Try and act completely normal," Naruku directed. "The supplies are behind a barrel in the shed. The dog won't bark if you give him this." She held out the second stolen sweet roll.

Momoko began to stride away.

A shrill scream and the thump of a falling body sounded in the kitchen and Naruku leapt to her feet.

She stared defiantly forward at Takeshi, who stood in the middle of the kitchen, his face contorted in anger.

Momoko lay at his feet, bruised but otherwise unharmed, struggling to crawl away.

Takeshi surged toward her his hand raised as if to strike again, but Naruku was between them in a flash, drawing her sword and forcing Takeshi back with her momentum.

"Just go!" Naruku cried, slamming Takeshi into the counter and fighting fiercely to hold him off and give the two girls time to escape. "Forget about the window, Nana, go with Momoko. And _hurry!_"

Nana looked fearful but rushed to Momoko's side, bringing her to her feet and helping her trot out the door.

With a roar Takeshi slapped at Naruku, tearing the flesh of her cheek all the way down to her collar. She yelped and flailed backward but regained her footing and jammed her sword against the man's throat.

She had no intention of killing him, of course, but he did not know that, and as soon as he felt to pressure on his windpipe, he fell limp against the counter.

This man was no fighter, and even though she was a tiny woman, Naruku still had the upper hand easily. She let Takeshi go and fled from the kitchen, out into the dining hall.

The whole place was in uproar. Apparently Nana and Momoko had pushed past more than one angry guest in their haste to leave.

Barely pausing to look around at the damage, Naruku sheathed her sword and ran with great, loping strides to the back door. She breathed easier when she saw the silhouettes of Nana and Momoko dragging two cloth bags from the shed.

"_Shh!_" came Nana's fierce whisper. The dog was beside her and barking wildly.

"Oh, Naruku-san!" Momoko cried upon seeing her. "You said he would be silent if we gave him the roll!"

"Well I thought he would," Naruku replied. "Here, give me an apple."

Nana dug briefly through her sack before producing one.

Naruku took it and held it under the dog's nose. He quieted for a moment before emitting another sharp bark.

Without pausing, Naruku took the apple and flung it out toward the street, where the dog ran squealing after it.

"Listen, I've got Takeshi in the kitchen and a whole bunch of pissed off guests. It won't be long before Shinju-san finds out that you both escaped. You need to be long gone by then, got it?" Naruku said levelly.

"But Naruku-san, we thought…" Nana trailed off, looking at Momoko.

Momoko finished for her. "We thought you'd be coming with us."

Naruku stared at the two girls' for more than a moment. She breathed deeply, thinking this over. There really was no reason not to. She wouldn't be putting them in any danger, and she was sure she could help them out a lot. She could find a place for them, maybe even one in Tokyo…

But there was always a _but._ And a selfish one, this time. She had her reasons for traveling, and these reasons would conflict with finding a home for these two girls. She hated to abandon them, but, feeling as wretched as she ever thought possible, she conceded that she had to. They would be all right. Or, at least, Naruku would convince herself of that.

"I'm afraid our time together ends here," she said slowly. "But let me do one more thing to help you. Here—" with that, she reached into her pouch and pulled a glittering black item from it. "To use for whatever purpose you see fit."

Nana touched the smooth surface tentatively, and Momoko leaned down to inspect it.

"An abalone comb! How beautiful," she gushed, running her hand over the engravings. "This must have cost a fortune, where did you get it?"

"It was a gift, once," Naruku replied shortly, handing it off to Nana. "And now I ask that you use it for your survival. I certainly have no need for it any longer."

Nana and Momoko exchanged glances. "How can we ever thank you?"

Naruku blushed, loosing her composure for the first time that evening. "Really. I ask nothing in return."

She gave each girl a brief hug. "Stay safe."

They nodded and Naruku could briefly see tears sparkling in Momoko's eyes. Silently, Nana led her away and the two girls were quickly swallowed up into the night.

Naruku let out a deep breath, taking in the fresh night air.

The sound of trotting and a low whine alerted Naruku of the guard dog, who had come back to her and dropped the apple near her left foot. She knelt and scratched absently at his ears before picking up the apple and throwing it into the darkness. The dog raced after it, and Naruku was left alone again.

She supposed it was about time she left as well. With no destination to speak of, Naruku set off into the night.

* * *

**End Notes: **I know that this chapter was very OC-centric. I hope that doesn't bother you. Though, I'm sure, the vast majority of you are already fine with Ocs, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this fanfic. Am I right? ...don't answer that.

I hope this was just enough and not too much. Next chapter will still deal heavily with Naruku (though there will be some canon character interaction—not saying who!) but we'll have our Kenshin-gumi fix as well. I've already started writing it and I hope to have it out before I go to Japan in August. Thanks for your patience.


	4. In the Hermit's Hut

**Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Rurouni Kenshin. In fact, I DIS claim it.**

I am leaving for Japan in about six hours. I was so happy I managed to post this. However, because of the time constrain, I opted not to have it beta-ed in favor of posting it before I left. So there may be mistakes, and perhaps when I get back I'll look over it more carefully--if you see a mistake, please point it out so I can fix it later!

* * *

**Chapter Four **

**In the Hermit's Hut**

**I**t wasn't long before the shape of the land and the cut of the mountains began to seem familiar to Naruku. She knew where she was going; she just didn't want to admit it yet. Days floated by one by one until Naruku found herself at the edge of Kyoto city.

She stood on a cliff overlooking the city, looking vaguely for the places of her past.

"Come on, Makkou," she said solemnly and walked along the ledge of the cliff.

One thing she had not counted on gaining when she left Shinju's restaurant was a new traveling companion. No matter what she did, she simply could not shake this dog off. It didn't matter how far she threw that damn apple…

He always came back.

An evil thought entered Naruku's mind and she unthinkingly acted on it. Picking up the now torn up apple, she dropped it over the edge of the cliff.

Tail wagging joyfully, Makkou bounded up to the edge of the cliff, just in time to see the shiny red apple plummet down to the ground. He blinked up at Naruku as if confused, and whined softly.

And here she'd been hoping he was stupid enough to go galloping off the edge of the cliff after his toy.

"Shame," she muttered, turning away.

A sudden bark from Makkou jolted her as he streaked past her, pausing briefly to tug playfully on her sleeve with his teeth. He sprinted ahead, fast as the master of Hiten Mitsurugi himself, and Naruku was left with no choice but to caper on after him.

He had obviously spotted a rabbit or a raccoon—some kind of creature that inspired him to go running off like all of hell was chasing after him.

"Wait up you stupid, flea-bitten mongrel!" Naruku cried, winded from the effort of keeping up.

He barked loudly after whatever he was chasing, spooking all birds and other potential sources of food as he went. Naruku couldn't help feeling very annoyed with him as he led her into a wood.

She struggled to keep up, but Makkou ran on, weaving between trees whenever he saw fit.

"Stop you idiot!" Naruku yelled, leaping over a tangle of branches to stay with him.

She lost sight of the dog for a moment before she emerged through the trees into a clearing where she quickly spotted Makkou, his prey squealing and struggling between his paws.

"Dumb, mangy…I don't even know why I put up with you," Naruku muttered, dragging herself over to him. "At least you got us something to eat…"

She came up beside him with the intent to make a clean kill of Makkou's rabbit before he could rip it to shreds. She collapsed on her knees tiredly and reached for her sword when she heard the shriek of a blade as it unsheathed. She turned, startled to see a sword cut clean through the rabbit. It lay dead and Makkou moaned in dismay at the loss of his plaything.

Naruku exhaled sharply as she looked up past the hilt of the sword at the gigantic man who towered above her. She had never seen someone with so much…_mass, _and suddenly being confronted with this giant was a bit unnerving.

Realizing she was simply gaping, Naruku scrambled to her feet and ended up in a sort of half-bow. She hoped she didn't seem rude, or worse, like a complete dimwit. Beside her, she could hear Makkou's whimpers and snorts as he dragged his kill away from the giant-man.

"So sorry to intrude, sir, it's just, my dog, and this rabbit, and well, I didn't think—I mean, there's nothing wrong with it of course—that anyone was up here, so I didn't—"

She cut herself off when she realized this man was _smirking_ at her. She had half a mind to ask him what the hell was so funny, but she realized the question was all too easy to answer. _She _was so funny. A painful sigh escaped her lips.

"What can you do?" came the deep, silk-smooth voice of the giant.

"W-what? Excuse me?" was Naruku's off-guard reply.

"What can you do?" he repeated in the same infuriatingly cool tone. "Wash dishes? Sweep? Do laundry? Cook? Pour sake?"

"I…well…all of those things, a little." Her brows came together in a look of confusion.

"Hn," he remarked. "What are you supposed to be with that sword? Assassin's wife?"

Now Naruku's confusion morphed into irritation. "Nothing. It's my father's sword."

"And what good is a sword when you don't know what to do with it?" he inquired, the smirk still prominent on his face.

"What makes you think I don't know how to use a sword?" Naruku shot back, trying her best to look fierce.

The man laughed—_laughed_ at her, and said in the same booming voice, "Are you telling me you can, then?"

Unsure of where this was going, Naruku nodded. This giant of a man was making her a little more than uneasy…he certainly didn't seem like the mellow, albeit antisocial old man she'd had him pegged for.

Then again, Naruku thought darkly, when had she ever been any good at judging people one way or the other?

"All right then, show me."

Naruku was caught completely off-guard. "_What?_"

"Show me. Land one strike on me and I'll believe you," the man repeated.

"Not meaning to be rude, sir, but why should I fight an old man like you?" Naruku shot back, concerned with the smug tone of voice the man was using.

"Old man?" he smirked. "You think I'm an old man? Let me tell you who I am, twerp. I am Hiko Seijiro the thirteenth, acting master of the Hiten Mitsurugi style."

He'd said it to be impressive and intimidating, of course, but Naruku's reaction was a little more than he'd expected. She simply stood there, speechless, unable to move.

"It can't be…" she whispered. Hiten Mitsurugi was not a very widespread school, that Naruku was sure of. Could it be that this man _knew_ her own master—Kenshin?

"Don't tell me you've never heard of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu," Hiko continued, one eyebrow quirked in amusement. "It is the sword style of many legends—one of the finest styles ever to be taught. Perhaps you've heard of Hitokiri Battousai? He himself was a student of Hiten Mitsurugi, though an ungrateful one. My baka deshi, in fact."

Naruku was floored, unable to do anything but gape stupidly at this man. Her master's master. The thought spun in her mind over and over until she felt almost physically dizzy from the shock.

Hiko, on the other hand, was quite pleased with himself. Perhaps he'd scared the girl so much she'd run off and not bother him anymore. He did have to get back to his kiln, after all…

But without meaning to, Hiko _had_ given Naruku a reason to fight him.

He was about to wander back to his clay oven when Naruku stepped back and placed a hand coolly on the hilt of her sword.

She found her voice again and said, as calmly as she could, "I know the style you speak of. I am…a pupil of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu."

Suddenly Hiko and all of his energy were focused on Naruku. He stared at her with a cold, unreadable expression on his face. But the look pierced through her and she found herself almost unable to stand her ground.

"What did you say?" Hiko demanded.

Naruku willed herself not to look away, or take that one unconscious step back. She answered, her voice now quavering noticeably, "I am a student of Hiten Mitsurugi."

"Impossible," Hiko replied, and his whole demeanor changed. He was laughing at her again. "You lie, girl."

"I assure you, it isn't a lie, sir," Naruku responded, finding her balance and her voice a little easier. "Fight me and I'll show you."

"If you were truly a student of Hiten Mitsurugi, I would have known at a glance," Hiko answered loftily.

"Isn't it easy to underestimate a woman?" Naruku commented wryly. In a flash her sword was out, held at a threatening angle toward Hiko. Satisfaction bubbled up in Naruku as she saw a mild expression of surprise on the old man's face—he clearly had not expected her to make good on her threat.

Another thing that pleased Naruku was that he wasn't laughing anymore—that meant she'd gotten at least a little better than she'd been when she first drew her sword in Tokyo all those months ago.

"Draw your sword," she uttered commandingly to Hiko.

"And why should I?" he returned smoothly. "Fight a puny runt like you?"

Naruku blinked, somewhat in confusion, somewhat in annoyance. "Weren't you asking this 'puny runt' to fight you just a minute ago? Have you lost interest so quickly?"

It was then she realized—too late, of course—that Hiko was simply turning her words back on her. 'Old man' 'puny runt' and so it went.

Naruku lowered the tip of her sword slightly. "Fine. It doesn't matter to me if some old hermit thinks I'm a liar."

She heard only the scrape of metal on metal and before she knew it Hiko was upon her, his immense strength driving the blade of his sword downward on her.

It was by sheer luck—and quick reflexes—that Naruku did not end up cleaved in two neat pieces. Having no time to move, she threw her sword arm up in attempt to block the oncoming attack.

She felt Hiko's force lessen considerably as he made contact with her sword. The attack had not been real, merely a test, but for what Naruku wasn't quite sure.

He lowered his sword and backed off a moment later, leaving Naruku bewildered. Behind her she heard a whine and a sharp bark that told her Makkou was distressed by this apparent altercation.

"No doubts then, as to who your master is?" Hiko growled after a few moments.

Naruku shook her head slowly and lowered her own sword. "Kenshin. Your apprentice," she answered. "I would assume."

"Then you are a liar."

Whatever reaction Naruku had been expecting from the Hiten Mitsurugi master, it was not that. "What exactly do you mean by that?" she inquired waspishly. "I'm no more a liar than my mutt."

"Fool," was Hiko's callous reply. "Kenshin told me himself that he would never let another learn this style. My baka deshi, ungrateful brat that he is, even turned down the title of Hiko Seijuro the fourteenth. So forgive me if I'm a little hesitant to believe he'd teach his swordsmanship to a whelp like you."

His ill-mannered sarcasm was not well received by Naruku. Neither was the slight on Kenshin's name.

"You can hesitate all you like," Naruku returned stiffly. "It doesn't make it any less true." There was a pause, and then she added, "Why did Kenshin refuse the title of Hiko Seijuro?"

The question escaped from her before she could consider the consequences, the least of which was making Hiko believe she was simple.

"I would ask him," Hiko answered dryly. "But I suppose it would have to do with that selfish oath he made. I would assume you know all about _that._"

The tone was near scathing and Naruku visibly flinched. This man was simply too much to take for more than a few minutes. They weren't even fighting and she was getting clobbered by him!

"Yes," Naruku answered, trying to keep her tone calm. "But Kenshin told me he wouldn't teach me the Hiten Mitsurugi he used as a hitokiri…he said he was teaching me a different version, one that fits our purposes. A katsujin-ken Mitsurugi."

Hiko was quiet for a moment, and Naruku found herself unnaturally grateful for the silence. She could hear Makkou gnawing on one of the rabbit's bones. He had obviously lost interest in what was going on between Hiko and Naruku.

"Katsujin-ken?" the word rang out unadorned. "There is no such thing. Despite his idiotic ideals, Kenshin would never boast to teach such a thing."

"Perhaps his philosophy has changed. It has before," Naruku shot back reasonably.

"Unlikely," was the cool reply. "My baka deshi is the most stubborn man you'll ever meet. If there's one thing to be said about him, he sticks true to his beliefs. It has always been that way. He came to me wanting to help people, he left me, wanting to 'help' but not knowing how, and he came back, to learn the secrets of the Hiten Mitsurugi style, only so that he could help those in need. And you think his philosophy has changed? It hasn't, not at all; from the start it has been so. If only he has become a little less reckless, wizened to the truths of the world. But his ideals are the same as they always have been, and always will be."

Naruku stood there, thinking not that Hiko liked the sound of his own voice (though that much was clear) but how strange it was that an accidental journey up a hill had brought her careening into Kenshin's past. She would thank Makkou later for this.

"So you really believe that my swords style is a hoax," she asked flatly after a long pause.

"Not so much a hoax as a joke to the real Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu," Hiko clarified smartly.

As if she wasn't angry enough, Naruku retorted sharply, "Well I'm not laughing."

Shifting her position so that she was now in an offensive stance, Naruku repeated, "Fight me."

"Why? Because you are angry, or because you have something to prove?" Hiko asked, amused.

"Neither," she answered. 'Both' was the true answer, but she did not want to allow Hiko that satisfaction. "Because it would be a true honor to cross swords with a master of Hiten Mitsurugi."

Appealing to his ego had apparently been a smart move, for Hiko stepped forward and raised his sword again.

"I think you mean it would be a true honor to fall by the sword of a Hiten Mitsurugi master," he corrected, his features set grimly so she would have no misconceptions that he wasn't kidding.

Naruku was shocked for a moment but quickly regained her bearings. If he truly meant to kill her, she would simply stop that from happening. Somehow.

She came at Hiko, her sword raised in an almost purely offensive stance. He evaded her strike easily and came back with one of his own, one that nearly took her head off. Luckily she had momentum from whirling around and managed to block the attack before it came to her.

She aimed another strike that Hiko easily turned against her—forcing her sword down with his own. She broke their contact and jumped back.

She tottered on her too-weak legs, feeling like a newborn deer. There was a way. With the right plan, with enough agility, she could get a hit in. It didn't really matter if she won the fight—if she could hit the Hiten Mitsurugi master, she could prove to him she was for real.

She was in the air a second later, and was not too surprised to see Hiko flying up along with her, quickly passing her in height.

She resisted the temptation to close her eyes. Jumping had been an idiotic decision—Hiko may have been heavier, but he had more power to drive him upward. She was on the wrong side of this attack—below him, where he could easily strike her and gravity would do his bidding.

In a second she saw Hiko's sword descending towards her. His mouth was open in a wordless roar and for the first time since meeting him on this mountain, she was really and truly afraid.

This wasn't how she was meant to die. Not here. Not like this. She had to live—to see Kenshin, to his face again, to tell him everything and be with him. She had so much to tell him…

With one last effort, Naruku swung her sword. It didn't even come close to her opponent, but the velocity of the swing forced her falling body toward Hiko.

The tip of his blade fell past Naruku, cutting into the air where she'd been not a second before. The blade narrowly missed her, clipping a few of her hairs on the way down.

Unable to react to such an unprecedented move, Hiko fell into Naruku, knocking her away from him with his arm.

She fell—gracefully, almost—toward the hard ground below her, landing with a loud thump.

Had she been conscious, she might have heard the smack of her elbow as it hit the ground, causing a jerk-reaction to her arm. She might have noticed the odd angle her foot was at or how lucky she was that it was only the side of her head that bounced on the ground, and the back of her neck remained well-protected.

However, Naruku remained in a peaceful comatose state for quite a few minutes, blissfully unaware of her new injuries.

She awoke several minutes later to Hiko towering over her. Taking a few seconds to get her bearings straight, Naruku sat up and immediately regretted it.

"Sake to ease your pain?" Hiko suggested in a tone laced with smugness.

Naruku didn't care how haughty he was—she was in too much pain to care. "Yes, please."

With much difficulty she raised herself up and gingerly got to her feet. She was not used to being injured like this, and didn't heed her body's warning as she stood up. Pain shot up her leg like fire and Naruku gasped, falling back to the floor.

It took her several seconds to regain her voice. "It's sprained," she told him in a tight voice.

"So I see," was Hiko's answer. He glanced down at her and without another word, he swept away.

"Hey!" Naruku cried out, outraged. "Aren't you going to help me? Tend my wounds? Something! You can't just walk away!"

He didn't even bother looking back.

Furious, Naruku laid herself back down. Tears sprung to her eyes—the pain and the sense of utter aloneness seeping through her body. _This _was what it felt like to truly be alone. It was an odd feeling. Even Makkou was nowhere to be seen, the stupid mutt.

She thought carefully about each individual part of her body, focusing on what was hurting. She thought she might have broken her arm when she landed, it felt almost numb with pain. Her leg was definitely sprained and her head was pounding so hard that the mere thought of lifting it again was enough to make her feel woozy and faint.

"Sit up," a self-assured voice demanded.

Naruku nearly jumped in surprise—but of course, that would have hurt too much.

"I said sit up."

Groaning, Naruku struggled to do so. After positioning herself so she was leaning on her uninjured arm, she raised her eyes tiredly to Hiko's dark obsidian beads. He was kneeling beside her, holding a jug of sake and two already filled saucers in his arms.

"Why are you back?" she asked him, taking the sake dish from him and nursing it to her lips.

He took a sip of his own sake. "When I realized you couldn't walk yourself to my hut, I brought the sake to you."

Naruku nodded. She had thought he left her, to die, to be picked away by crows…but here he was again, offering her sake no less.

"I'll never understand people," she confided quietly.

Hiko almost grinned. "Why do you think I live on a secluded mountain?"

Naruku laughed appreciatively at that, but stopped when she realized it hurt her side. "Damn," she swore. "I've never gotten this many injuries from one fall."

"You were trying to beat me, and didn't put enough consideration into keeping yourself alive," Hiko told her.

"I'm still here, right?" she answered, tilting her head.

Hiko snorted condescendingly. "You think I'd kill you? And have that obnoxious baka deshi of mine come whining back to me when he realized what I'd done? No thank you."

Naruku was silent. The sake was setting in and she began to feel less connected to her pain. The throbbing and aching was all still there, she just wasn't so much a part of it anymore.

"So you believe me, then?" she spoke after a moment's silence.

"About what?" Hiko asked, smirking.

"About Hiten Mitsurugi katsujin-ken," she replied curtly.

"No," he said flatly. "It doesn't exist."

Naruku frowned. She let the matter drop, realizing there was no way she could convince Hiko. He was too arrogant, too sure in his belief. It didn't matter what one old man thought, she reminded herself. She knew, and Kenshin knew, and that was all that mattered.

"So why are you here with me?" Naruku asked. "You don't really seem like the type of man who likes…well, people."

Hiko snorted yet again. "I can appreciate a person who appreciates sake. And plus, there are some things I want to ask you."

"Before you do," she interrupted. "Know that I haven't seen Kenshin in almost a month."

"Hn," Hiko seemed put off that she had so quickly realized what he wanted. "Then you'll just have to tell me what happened before your untimely departure."

Naruku wondered for a second why Hiko wanted to know what his so called 'obnoxious' and 'stupid' ex-student was up to…maybe Hiko cared about Kenshin more than he let on.

Naruku was in no mood to tell a story, least of all one so close to her heart, but she was pleased that Hiko had brought her the pain-dulling sake, and she hadn't missed the bandages beside him that told her her wounds would be tended to before she left.

So she told him—everything she knew, starting from when she had met Kenshin to when she had left. The sake made it easier, and Hiko's passive, unending stare spurred her on until she reached the end.

Then Hiko spoke. "So Kenshin saved you from this Takeda man," he said, sounding almost skeptical.

Naruku nodded to affirm.

"And you then, in turn, saved _him_ from Takeda's sword," Hiko went on, and Naruku nodded again.

Hiko was silent then and Naruku helped herself to more sake.

"You love him," Hiko said dully. It was not a question.

Naruku didn't bother denying it. She'd said to Kenshin himself, after all. Why did she need to hide what she felt?

"I thought I'd never understand why so many people's lives seem to totter on my baka deshi," Hiko mused. "I get it now. He saved your life, and more than that, saved you from your darkness. By telling you he was teaching you a sword that gives life. Even if the style doesn't exist, saying so saved you. And so you adored him and appreciated him and you say you love him."

Naruku frowned, hurt by Hiko's tone and his words. It was all well and good to be in doubt about her sword style, but to question her love? What right did he have? _What_ gave him that right?

Naruku didn't say any of that. Instead, she took a breath and gathered herself to answer, "I do love him."

Hiko glanced up suddenly, the intensity of his stare surprising Naruku. "Enough to die for him?"

Naruku blinked, caught completely off-guard. "I-I…I don't—"

"Do you love him enough to die for him?" Hiko repeated.

Too many times had Hiko rendered her speechless. She summoned her courage and spoke plainly, "Is this really any of your concern?"

"Answer the question," came Hiko's arrogant answer.

"You just think you can get everything, don't you?" Naruku shot back.

"I _can_ get everything. Anything I want, in any case," was the smug reply. "Especially information that I want."

Naruku glared, but her resolve was broken. She had found a sort of confidant in this strange hermit. "I love him enough to die for him."

"Fool," Hiko said bluntly. "You're as much of an idiot as he is."

By rights, Naruku shouldn't have been surprised, but she was. Hiko was rude and caustic and she knew that, but his words bit her harder than the blade of a sword. And once again, she had nothing to say to them.

"Now, do you love him enough to let him die for you?" Hiko asked, serious again.

"I don't understand," Naruku said quietly. But she did understand, all too well. She pursed her lips and said, just as serious, "I could never let Kenshin die for me."

Hiko made another 'hn' sound and stood up abruptly. He strode away, once again leaving Naruku alone.

She took this time to further investigate her wounds. Deciding time was of the essence—or so Megumi always seemed to think while treating patients—she picked up the roll of bandages Hiko had brought.

She reached back and bit back a gasp of pain. Slowly she untied her obi, letting it and her brown pouch fall down. Gingerly, she opened her butter yellow gi and prodded at the wound on her side. There was a mottled purple bruise there and, after touching the spot with two fingers, she was pretty sure it wasn't broken. She thought maybe the bone itself was bruised, so she wrapped it up to keep it protected and to keep her motion limited so she wouldn't upset the wound. It was slow going with only one mobile hand, but she managed, and then reached back and retied her obi—sloppily was the best she could do.

As she reached for her brown satchel, she found Hiko's hand there first. She raised her eyes to his.

"Back again?" she asked coolly, snatching the bag up before he could take it.

"What is that?" he asked.

Tidying her gi, Naruku answered smoothly, "Some letters that I mean to deliver in Kyoto."

"To whom?"

"Old friends," she replied easily. She eyed the jar of salve Hiko held in his hand.

"What old friends?" he persisted.

"Does it matter?" she snapped. "I'm practically dying here, now what's that stuff for, anyway?" she motioned to the jar. "I'm hoping it'll stop the swelling."

"What old friends?" he repeated, switching the jar from one hand to the other.

"Just some old friends, now give me the salve!" she demanded shrilly.

"If I knew who you were seeking, maybe I could help you find them," Hiko offered.

Naruku looked very doubtful. "Thanks, but I'm pretty sure I know where they are. And you can help me by giving me that cream." She motioned at it again, and this time Hiko relented.

She slathered some on her leg and almost immediately felt the soothing sensation. She wished he'd brought it before she wrapped her ribs, but maybe she could convince him to give the jar to her.

She was in the middle of wrapping her shin when Hiko spoke.

"I would think you'd recognize the cream," he said. "As it was given to me by someone I think may be a friend of yours."

"Oh?" Naruku asked, inspecting the jar. "You got this from Megumi-san?"

Hiko nodded.

"When was she in Kyoto?"

"Does it matter?" he mocked her.

She finished with the salve and the bandages. Carefully, so carefully, she got to her feet. The pain didn't hit her quite so hard, and she began to feel as if she could make it to Kyoto.

"Are you leaving then?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I guess I am," she answered.

"Finally," Hiko breathed, earning him a glower from Naruku. He sobered slightly and took his sword and sheath off his belt. "Then take this."

Naruku balked. "What? Why?" That was the real question. _Why _would a master swordsman offer his sword up to a girl he didn't even think was legitimate? A girl he thought was a _joke._

"Don't you need this?" Naruku asked. "I mean, er…so you don't, you know, die?"

"It doesn't matter. If anyone does kill me, I'll be content with the knowledge that I should have died a long time ago," Hiko answered, his voice absolutely impermeable.

Naruku wondered at the meaning of his words.

"That, if you don't know, is why I asked you if you'd let Kenshin die for you. If he is truly teaching you the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, that is how he will end. Eventually, the master always falls to the student's sword. It is the way it has always been."

Naruku took the sword from him, knowing he was wrong. She didn't say anything.

"Goodbye Hiko-san. I don't think I'll ever see you again, but I'll always remember our fight, and your words," Naruku said seriously.

"What fight?" Hiko asked. "That was not a fight, you fool. You barely made me move, at all, and yet I beat you."

Naruku sighed and tried not to get too irritated. She whistled loud and sharp, and saw Makkou come bounding out of the trees toward her, a branch clamped into his jaw.

Naruku took the branch and broke off a bit so it was the perfect size for a walking stick.

"Let's go boy," she said to him, and he barked happily in reply. There were places yet she had to get to, and so she set on her way.

* * *

**End Notes:** The horizontal lines aren't working. And for the record, this chapter was not supposed to be like this. Originally, I was going to include the happenings at the dojo, but I had so much fun with the Hiko/Naruku interaction that it carried for ten pages.

Anyway, please tell me what you think! I'd be so delighted to return from Japan to an inbox full of reviews!


	5. A Lesson in Honor

**Disclaimer: Do I own Rurouni Kenshin? Why, I can answer that in both English and Spanish. NO.  
**

I live! I realize I have not posted anything since before I went to Japan. And then once I came back from Japan there was school, so it all makes some sort of weird, convulted sense, right?

Well, in any case, here is the next chapter of this fic! Long awaited, I know. No more long awaited than the season premiere of Lost, though!

Ignore that. Please note that this chapter has not been beta-ed by anyone other than myself. My usual beta-reader, Liem, is busy looking over the first chapter of a new fic of mine (well, I'm sure she's doing other stuff besides that...) so I present this chapter to you self-edited.

Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Five **

**A Lesson in Honor**

"**K**aoru! Kaoru! Kaoru wake _up!_"

Using just about all the strength his eleven-year-old body could muster, Yahiko shook the napping shihondai to consciousness.

Without so much as opening one eye, Kaoru slapped him and turned away from the annoyance.

Yahiko was sent sprawling at the force of her slap, but got up steadfastly and growled at the sight of Kaoru—her eyes closed and her breathing soft. Asleep.

Yahiko offered no sympathy as he launched himself down onto his sensei in a sort of half head butt.

The effect was just as Yahiko predicted—Kaoru squawked indignantly at the rude awakening and sat up immediately, ready to bust whoever's head had caused cranial damage to hers.

"Jeez Yahiko, you little twerp, what the hell was that for?" she exclaimed brusquely, rubbing her head and glaring at the younger boy peevishly.

"Well you sleep like a rock and I had to get you up _somehow_," Yahiko replied defensively, rubbing the tender spot on his own head.

Kaoru sighed and fell back against her futon, her eyes drifting closed. "It's too early. Come back in an hour, Yahiko, and maybe we'll spar," she told him sleepily.

Yahiko looked at her as if she'd just told him to jump around naked. "What, now you're crazy _and_ ugly? It's the middle of the afternoon you old hag!"

Kaoru sat bolt upright. "_What? _Are you _kidding _me? It's after noon already? I'm supposed to be at the Maekawa dojo right now!"

She scrambled to her feet, somehow avoided getting tangled in the sheets, and dashed to the other side of the room to look out the window. Presumably, this was to make sure Yahiko wasn't just playing a cruel trick on her.

As soon as she saw the bright light filtering through the window, Kaoru collapsed onto the tatami floor.

"Why didn't anyone wake me?" she demanded shrilly. "Where's Kenshin? If I ever get my hands on that stupid, dopey…mrpph…baka…" Kaoru cut herself off with a low growl and made several violent gestures that made clear her current mood.

"It'd your own fault, ugly," Yahiko countered. "And besides, Kenshin's been out since early this morning. I didn't even see him at breakfast."

Kaoru ceased her strangling pantomime and looked over at Yahiko, her expression mild and concerned. "You didn't? Where could he have gone?"

Yahiko rolled his eyes and clocked Kaoru across the head.

She whipped around to him with a snarl. "You little jerk!"

Scowling, Yahiko reminded her, "Isn't there somewhere you need to be?"

Again, Kaoru jumped to her feet. "You're right! Argh—I hope Maekawa-sensei isn't angry with me! This is the first time I've forgotten something as important as that-"

As Kaoru babbled to herself and got ready for a day out, Yahiko quietly let himself out of her room, rubbing his cheek where Kaoru had smacked him earlier.

He glanced back at the closed shoji and his expression softened at Kaoru's shrill tones.

"Geez Kaoru…you're really going to kill yourself this way," he mumbled to no one as he started down the hall.

In a few moments he was overtaken by a sprinting Kaoru—dressed in her tattered old hakama—and sighed as she flew past.

Ever since Hirakatu had come to the dojo a week ago, Kaoru, scared silly at the thought of loosing her home, had been running ragged trying to find ways to produce more income.

She'd sold many of her family's things—her mother's beautiful hair combs that she had once wished Kaoru to wear, her grandfather's lovely ink landscapes….

It was unfortunate, but Kaoru had been left with very little when her parents had died. She had only her sword style and the house she lived in—now she was in danger of loosing both.

In the past eight days, she'd attempted to find many jobs—from waitressing to working in a print shop, Kaoru had beseeched half the storeowners in west Tokyo. Not one of them had accepted her. Her status as a single woman living with two unrelated men was much despised by the 'respectable' men and women of Tokyo.

Which was really a shame, because in Yahiko's very unbiased opinion, Kaoru was among the best candidates for any job—barring a job as a cook, of course.

So, refusing to accept failure, Kaoru had busied herself with extra outings to the Maekawa dojo. She had acquired a small class there that Maekawa-sensei paid her a moderate amount of money to teach.

It wasn't enough.

If the situation didn't get better, Yahiko feared that Kaoru would do something really drastic—like renting herself out nightly to lecherous men.

That prospect wasn't even worth thinking about.

It was just so _hard_ feeling so useless…Yahiko had freeloaded at the dojo for months and not felt a drop of guilt. But now…

Even Sano was showing up less and less. It was almost as if, with this precarious situation, everyone had become aware of just how much they took advantage of Kaoru and the dojo.

Yahiko was tired of it. He was ready to do something, to keep Kaoru from killing herself with work, to save the Kamiya Kasshin style, to keep his home.

Even if that meant going against everything Kaoru and Kenshin had taught him, he would do it.

* * *

Gurgling with excitement Kenshin could not comprehend, the noisy river rippled on by, each drop of water leaving Kenshin further and further behind. 

Like _she_ had.

As fish and frogs splashed on by, Kenshin recalled a time that he too had been so easily swept up, like the flow of a river.

Leaving for Kyoto those months ago had caused time to flow again…but now it had stopped, stagnant and lethargic like a hot, humid summer's day.

And for the first time, Kenshin found himself a victim of _waiting._ As a child and a young adult, Kenshin had always found himself moving, place to place, person to person. Then, when the war ended, wandering had come to him as naturally as breathing. Home was a foreign concept, but when he'd found the dojo he'd begun to feel like he had finally found it. A place where he belonged—a home.

He wondered if Naruku had ever truly felt at home with them—and whether her departure had been an act of weakness, or one of desperation.

Finding a home, and protecting that home could be one of the most terrifying experiences for people like them. People who'd never really known home in the first place.

Somehow, since Naruku's departure, Kenshin had begun to loose that feeling of home he'd grown so accustomed to. Her absence was only a part of it, though—the constant stress and anxiety, the looming threat that they might loose the dojo, all of it made Kenshin feel as if everything was slipping away…the family he'd had at the dojo.

No matter how strong their ties were to each other, something would drive them apart in the end.

Kenshin closed his eyes against a gentle breeze. The cool air felt wonderful against his skin, and for a moment it all seemed more bearable, easier to manage.

But the breeze ceased, the air stilled, and Kenshin could only wait for another passing of cool air.

* * *

Kaoru surveyed her work with a keen eye, sweeping the surface of the floor for any dust, dirt and anything the slightest bit out of place. The room was clean and bare—the tatami freshly re-covered, the rice paper doors crisp and white sliding side to side without so much as a splinter—as if they were water instead of paper. 

It looked brand new. Untouched.

Like it had never belonged to a lively, expressive young woman.

Then again, it didn't, not any more. When Naruku had left the dojo, she had left everything—and yet nothing.

Looking at the clean, white room, Kaoru could not see so much as a whisper of a hint that Naruku had lived there. Her imprint had vanished like a picture in the sand, disappearing as the tide rose.

Kaoru's shoulders slumped, and her scrutinizing gaze turned into a dark glower. Naruku was really gone, and Kaoru had just erased anything that had been left of her.

Behind her, she could hear the smoothness of the door opening. She turned to see Kenshin.

He gazed into the room—a hard, steady look, and then turned to Kaoru plaintively.

"What do you plan to do with it?" he asked quietly.

The sound of his voice almost broke Kaoru's heart. Her glower deepened and she whirled around and said flatly, "I'm going to rent it out. It's one way to generate more money."

It sounded cold, harsh even, but thinking about it rationally…there was no reason not to.

A new boarder would be good. A new boarder, who for once didn't freeload, would help them.

Dreamingly listlessly about that far-off, perhaps nonexistent, day when Naruku would return—that would not help them.

Kenshin touched the delicate wall of the room and said very simply what Kaoru had been thinking all along.

"She's gone."

Kaoru turned away and swallowed thickly. Though Kenshin could not see, she nodded.

* * *

Never. Never again, that's what he had told himself. 

And yet—staring down the dusty street as though it were the worst of his enemies—Yahiko knew what he had to do.

With the eyes of a hawk, Yahiko carefully picked out a target while pretending to immerse himself in a yatai selling delicious smelling anko breads.

The man he'd picked out was tall and lean, walking like he owned the world. On his arm was a pretty girl, much shorter, smiling and laughing and tossing her glossy hair.

Eyes down, Yahiko strode toward them, employing one of the many skills he'd perfected as a young boy—the ability to become invisible in a crowd.

It seemed his skill had not waned in the past year, for the haughty man and his young date took no notice of Yahiko as he passed by.

Luck was on his side, for as soon as Yahiko came alongside the man, an old drunk stumbled into the young girl on his other side.

"Oh dear!" the lean man exclaimed, holding his date firmly by her shoulders and giving the old drunk a disgusted look.

"'m sorry ma'am," the drunk slurred, grinning at the girl in an entirely unapologetic way.

She gave him a look of affronted incredulity.

"Well!" the man cried as the drunk left them. "I'll be! Are you quite all right, dear?"

The girl turned, blushing up at her date warmly. "I'm fine. You might want to check your pockets, though. That man could have taken something."

"You're quite right," the tall man nodded and instantly began searching for his wallet. A look of alarm crossed his sallow face when he found nothing.

Up ahead, Yahiko began to panic. However, if there was one thing he had learned as a pickpocket, it was never to let on any hint of uneasiness, no matter how close he was to being caught. So he continued to walk on ahead, matching his former pace, not a step quicker.

"There! That boy!" yelled the old woman who'd been selling the anko breads.

The arrogant man and his beautiful girl snapped to where the old woman was pointing—and it happened to be right at Yahiko. She'd seen the whole thing.

Yahiko's luck had turned sour, and the only choice left for him was to run. Following his instincts, Yahiko began to sprint away as fast as his legs could take him.

He knew there was no way the rich man, the old lady nor the girl could catch him, so he concentrated only on moving his legs faster and faster, putting more ground between him and them.

To Yahiko's complete misfortune, a wheelbarrow overturned in the road just as Yahiko was passing—the result was Yahiko crashing to the floor, followed quickly by dozens of sweet potatoes.

As the world righted itself, Yahiko gazed up at the sky, counting the seconds before the man he'd stolen from would come into view.

Today was simply not his day.

* * *

"Yahiko is _where?_" Kaoru exclaimed, slamming the flats of her palms down on the table. 

"I told you already," Sano grunted irritably. "He's at the police station."

"This one does not understand," Kenshin muttered feebly. "Why would Yahiko do such a thing? He vowed he would never again go back to that life."

Sano tossed a used toothpick out the door, much to Kaoru's chagrin. "I don't know what got into him. Maybe he just figured he wasn't doing enough to contribute. You guys haven't exactly been booming with cash lately…"

"That's a bit funny coming from _you_ Sanosuke!" Kaoru retorted bitterly.

Sano held up his hands in a calming gesture. "Hey, I'm just saying what's true, all right? I was thinking maybe Yahiko felt he needed to give something to the dojo after freeloading for so long," Sano explained rationally.

Kenshin frowned sullenly, but he slowly nodded. "As much as this one dislikes it, that does make sense."

"I see _you_ don't have that sudden need to contribute, Sano," Kaoru accused.

"Yeah. Aren't we all lucky?" Sano responded, grinning.

Kaoru sighed and sat back. "I…I don't know what to do…" she confessed, her voice suddenly weak and cracking. "I just don't know what to do anymore."

Her forlorn expression filled Kenshin with a sense of sadness. "This cannot go on any longer, that it cannot," he said at last. "We'll go down the to police station and get Yahiko. Then we'll figure out what to do from there."

He glanced at Kaoru and waited until she met his eyes before nodding firmly, his eyes more focused and determined than they'd been in weeks.

"I promise we can work this out."

* * *

Retrieving Yahiko from the police department turned out to be a much less harrowing task than Kaoru had predicted. In fact, when she arrived there, it turned out no one had even bothered to lock Yahiko up—it had been decided that he could too easily slip out of the bars to bother wasting a cell on him. In all likelihood, this decision brought more shame to Yahiko than if he'd actually been locked up like a prisoner. 

"Ow…ow!" Yahiko complained, wincing horribly as Kaoru tugged on his ear. She was furious beyond belief, and it was only thanks to her former affection for the young Kamiya Kasshin student that she didn't murder him on the spot.

"What were you thinking, huh Yahiko?" she demanded, tugging still harder on the poor boy's ear.

"Ow Kaoru, get off me!" he complained, struggling against her grip, which only made the searing pain increase.

"You're lucky they didn't throw you in jail, you worm!" Kaoru screeched, which actually ended up making her _own_ head hurt (though it nowhere near matched the intensity of Yahiko's pain.) "Honestly, what could have gotten into you? _Stealing? _I thought that was something you'd left behind, Yahiko…" Kaoru's voice had grown softer, and it was clear now that she was speaking to Yahiko, not just ranting obliviously to herself.

She released his reddened ear from her grasp and looked him in the eye with sincerity.

Yahiko refused to meet her gaze for several moments, his eyes filled with shame. Finally, he croaked out, "I'm sorry, Kaoru…there was no other way."

Kaoru sighed and placed a hand on her young student's shoulder, marveling for a moment about how much he'd grown. He was barely shorter than her now, and it would only be so much time before he matched even Sano in height.

"What do you mean…no other way?" she asked him quietly.

He then glanced up at her, catching her eyes in a moment of intensity. "I can't just sit by and watch you struggle, Kaoru! The dojo is my home too—it's all of our homes, and I won't let us lose it. I won't—"

Kaoru swung him around, gripping both of his shoulders. "_I _can't just sit by and watch you become a thief again. I can't let you, not for anything. Do you understand that?"

Yahiko's gaze dropped again, and his whole body tensed up, trying to dam up the sobs that threatened to burst from him. "It's just not _fair,_" he yelled. "They can't do this to us, Kaoru! It's not—"

"Fair?" she supplied. "I know. They shouldn't be able to do this, but they can. They're not going to be honorable about this, or sympathetic. But that doesn't mean we have to play the same game. We are either going to earn the money honorably, or forfeit the dojo. We are not going to steal and cheat and gamble in order to pay the rent."

She let her hands drop from his shoulders.

He nodded slowly, but he knew she was right. "I get it now."

Kaoru closed her eyes. "Good. Don't worry, okay Yahiko? We'll figure this out. You, me, Kenshin…we'll all be fine."

Yahiko looked up again. "And Naruku," he said.

Kaoru hesitated a moment, looking past Naruku. Finally, she breathed in and said. "Yes. You, me, Kenshin…and Naruku. We'll all be fine. You'll see."

* * *

**End Notes: **I would be so appreciative of ANY little (or large) mistake you point out. I am really, really bad at self-editing because I often manage to overlook random typos that I make. The kind where I write 'of' instead of 'for' or completely leave out a word. I do it when I'm handwriting too, actually, so maybe there's just something wrong with my brain. 

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter on some level and I'm hoping to get the next one out soon, so look out for that.

Thanks for reading, and please leave a review!


	6. A Lesson in Truth

**Disclaimer: What, you think I think I own it? I'm not THAT delusional.**

Look, I'm not dead! I know it's been...six months since last chapter, but I have risen at last. This is another unbeta-ed chapter, though I promise you I've combed through it many times for errors. I would appreciate you pointing it out if you've spotted one, though.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Six **

**A Lesson in Truth**

**Tokyo, Japan**

**8th Year of Meiji**

**November 10**

_Misao-chan,_

_I feel I have to tell you the truth about why I stayed. I am so sorry if it appears I was abandoning you—I would never wish to do that. I would also never wish to hurt you, though I know if I had stayed, I would._

_Enizu did not trick me into staying. He explained some things to me, and I made the decision on my own._

_Misao, I know how much Aoshi means to you. I know what you would do to find him. But here and now, I can tell you, he is a changed man. He is not the man we remember, Misao. I don't think he would want you to see him as he is now._

_Aoshi is here and I know you will hate me forever for not telling you. Perhaps it is best, then, that this is my last letter to you. If you hate me, then so be it, but know I am only doing what I think is right for you. I never want to see you hurt._

_How long have we wondered what hatred Aoshi had against Enizu? I understand it now. Enizu opened my eyes. _

_Aoshi cares for us both a great deal. He cares for us enough to abandon his principles and work for a man he hates—to protect us. But he cares for you differently than he cares for me. To Aoshi, you are a young girl, a light in his past that he never wants to forget. But I am a young woman to Aoshi, and that makes all the difference. Because he sees me as a man sees a woman, not as a man sees a child._

_You may hate me more, but this, I know, is not a fault of my own. Aoshi has hated Enizu for so long because he believed Enizu was conspiring to steal me away, to make me turn on Aoshi._

_I promise that Enizu has never had any intention of doing so, and I certainly will never turn on our guardian. _

_But knowing that Aoshi sees me this way has made me realize I can't play dumb anymore. It will break your heart, Misao, and that is why I left you. I can't stay with you, knowing that the man you love already loves another. Me. _

_I know you will want to march back to Castle Edo the minute this letter reaches you, but I ask, no, I beg that you don't. If not for me, or for Aoshi, then for yourself. Please._

_All my love,_

_Naruku  
_

* * *

The sky was a million blinking stars over a rolling, endless sea of brown dirt.

That's what Naruku told herself as she walked along the path, Makkou wagging his tail and trotting happily at her side. The sea was not so endless after all if it finally brought her to where she was going.

Her knuckles whitened as she clutched her brown satchel to her chest, her footsteps becoming more and more determined as her heart grew less so. She was going back, finally, after so much time.

She didn't expect to be welcomed with open arms. In fact, she would have found it not only fair, but right if they decided to toss her to the streets as soon as she arrived.

Though plagued by these and several other horrible thoughts, Naruku's gait did not waver. Instead she strode steadily forward, her expression set and her fists clenched. Nothing betrayed her.

She was so intent on her purpose that she hardly noticed when she bumped into somehow who'd been passing her on the road. They had a thick black cloak drawn over their body protectively, their small stature made smaller by the illusion of the huge cloak, covering almost every inch of their person, making it impossible to discern the person's gender.

Only Makkou's sharp bark made Naruku tear away from her thoughts to allow just a shred of courtesy. She turned to the person to apologize for her clumsiness, only to find that the person had already gone on their way.

It would have been an entirely unremarkable encounter and Naruku would have been perfectly content to simply go on her way without another thought—that is, until she caught sight of the cloaked person continuing on into the night, a long black tail whipping around behind them.

Naruku stopped and blinked. And turned to look again.

Then she knew. That wasn't a tail, that was a braid. And that person…could it be that that person was the one she was seeking?

On instinct alone, Naruku whirled around and dashed after them, this time pausing for no one. She ran on, her eyes focused only on the figure in the cloak whom she was about to catch up with. She didn't even notice that Makkou was still where she'd left him, barking his confusion to the sky.

"Watch where you're going!" came a sharp rebuke as Naruku careened and crashed into a few passerbys that stood between her and her goal.

Naruku uttered out a few sincere-sounding apologies and sprinted on. Soon she was feet—no, inches—away from the cloaked figure. She extended out her arm and reached to brush her fingertips along the back of her seemingly oblivious target.

Then the figure accelerated, as if she or he had sensed they were being followed but did not dare turn around. Naruku fell back as the figure rushed forward, away from Naruku's grasp and down a particularly narrow alley. Naruku followed behind but the alley was too dark to see where the cloaked figure had gone.

Naruku was left with only one option.

"_Misao!_" she called in a high, shrill voice.

That did it. The cloaked figure spun around, and stepping forward, Naruku saw with finality that it was, indeed, her childhood friend. Though years separated them, Naruku had no trouble recognizing Misao.

No such ease came to Misao, it seemed, who stared at Naruku for a good minute or two until recognition flashed across her features. She drew closer to Naruku, her eyes full of curiosity and—if Naruku wasn't mistaken—hurt.

"Is it…is it really you?" Misao asked in a hoarse voice. She clutched her cloak around her shoulders even tighter against a wind that ripped through them and at once settled.

Naruku nodded, unsure as to why her voice didn't seem to work.

"Yeah Misao," she said quietly, fighting against the lump that formed in her throat. "Yeah, it's really me."

In a flash, Misao's expression steeled and Naruku knew what was coming before it came. Misao raised her hand to strike Naruku—a hard smack across the face. But Naruku caught her friend's wrist before her stroke could fall.

Misao's face seized up in anger. This was much different from the playful, whiney anger that Naruku was used to. This was real anger.

Before Naruku could react, Misao's leg shot up and caught her in the jaw, sending Naruku flying backwards to lie in the dirt of the street. Confusion marred Naruku's features as she sat up, clutching at the spot that Misao had kicked her in.

"M…Misao…" she said quietly.

Misao faced her, standing in an offensive position, clearly ready to fight.

"What are you to me, huh? What are you to me, Naruku?" she demanded.

Naruku was shocked by the harshness of her voice. Since when had Misao been this callous, this _angry?_ What had happened to turn her sweet, childhood friend into a raging demon? Perhaps her signature move, _Demon bird kick_, was not so ill suited after all.

"Misao, I…I'm your _friend_. I always have been. What's going on? I know it's been a long time, Misao, but I…I'm still your friend," Naruku heard the feebleness of her own pleading, and she knew Misao could hear it too.

And in that moment, Naruku had her answer. What had happened to turn Misao into what she was now, bearing down on her with fury radiating from ever inch of her body?

Naruku had happened. Naruku had left Misao, perhaps at a time she needed her most. Naruku felt a blast of guilt and shame. So powerful was the blow that Naruku felt she had been kicked again. Worse—she felt as she had at that moment, weeks ago, when she had returned to the dojo to find her lover, Enizu, locked in a death match with the man she loved—Kenshin.

All. Her. Fault.

"My friend?" Misao repeated, derision apparent in her tone. "Since when do friends _abandon_ one another, Naruku? How could you do that to me when you knew—you _knew—_what I had gone through when Aoshi left. How could you?"

Misao's angry rant had dribbled off into quiet despair. She said again, her voice so small Naruku almost missed it, "How could you?"

Finally Naruku felt it was safe to scoop herself off the floor, and she did so, but not without difficulty.

"Misao," she said steadily, not betraying how weakened and hurt she felt inside. She approached Misao, whose breathing was loud and labored, and cautiously put a hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "Misao I'm so, so sorry. I have made too many mistakes in my life, and this is one I regret most."

It was true. She and Misao had grown up together. Since the day her father had died—no, was murdered—Naruku was introduced to the Aoiya and everyone who lived there. Though it was not, perhaps, the preference of her pacifist father for her to live with a group of ninjas, it was a time of happiness for Naruku. Though Misao had been almost three years younger than Naruku and already more advanced in the martial arts, the two had gone together like a pair of chopsticks. You couldn't really have one without the other.

Together they had grown and trained and together they had harbored the pain of being left behind by their friends, the Oniwabanshuu.

It was with Naruku's urging that Misao had agreed to set out to look for Aoshi—she was barely ten at the time, and Naruku not much older. They were prime victims for any number of crimes, but somehow they'd made it through together.

Always they were searching for their friends, their mentors. They had learned to count on each other as they'd never counted on anyone before. Like a pair of chopsticks, they worked best together.

Until Naruku had left, without so much as a goodbye. The truth would have hurt Misao far more than Naruku could bear, so she said nothing, did nothing. She was simply there one day, fighting back-to-back against the world with Misao, and gone the next, leaving Misao to fend for herself.

"I'm so sorry Misao," Naruku said again, and tears resonated in her voice.

Misao's shoulders sagged. She had no choice but to forgive her friend.

Naruku persisted. "I thought I was doing the right thing, but I was all mixed-up Misao. I should never have left you."

"It's…" Misao seemed to be on the verge of telling her it was okay, that she was forgiven. But she shook her head. No words came.

"Do you think we could…can we…go back to the Aoiya?" Naruku asked tentatively. "I would love to see everyone again."

Misao looked up and Naruku offered her a brave smile. It would be so easy for Misao to crush what little hope Naruku had of reconciliation. She could walk away. She could yell and tell Naruku to give it up, she'd never be forgiven. She could say that she'd long since forgotten about her.

But Misao didn't do any of that. Instead she gave Naruku what she most wanted—a genuine smile. It was small, but Misao knew the extent to which it lightened Naruku's heart.

"All right," Misao replied finally. "Let's go."

Still wary, Naruku plodded along a couple paces behind Misao, unsure of where she stood with the usually cheerful ninja.

But once they were out on the road again, underneath the vast, dark sky, Misao began chattering away, about this and that and everything in between. Naruku spotted Makkou on the side of the road and he perked up as he caught sight of her and came bounding over.

"Misao, this is Makkou," Naruku introduced them.

"He's great, Naruku, where'd you find him?" Misao asked, delighting in Makkou's enthusiasm and his slobbery greeting.

"It's kind of a long story," Naruku admitted, unable to stop the grin that spread across her face as they set out again. "And I'd much rather hear how things are with you."

It had been five years and everything was still the same. As they walked, Naruku let Misao prattle on—part of her was grateful that she was being spared having to tell her own story, and keeping her silence against Misao's endless stream of words was an effortless task.

As they approached the Aoiya, Naruku felt her steps slowing. She wanted so much to go back there and have everything be how it was when she'd left. She knew there were many things that had changed, but was she ready to face them?

"Naruku?" Misao paused in her story (something about Omasu and Okon, Naruku wasn't sure what specifically.)

"Yes?" Naruku replied, hesitant.

"What are you waiting for?" Misao asked. It was then that Naruku realized she had stopped moving completely and was just staring at the Aoiya, its entrance lit with lanterns and its walls looking newer than Naruku ever remembered.

"Oh," Naruku said, and forced her legs to move again, side-by-side with Misao. The younger girl quickly grabbed Naruku's arm and half-dragged her toward the inn. The front door clacked open and revealed a young woman, not much older than Naruku herself, framed in the doorway.

"Misao? Is that you?" the woman asked, staring into the dark.

"Yup, it's me!" Misao responded cheerfully, albeit a decibel or two over what was socially acceptable. "We have company Omasu, go tell the others," at this, Misao cleared her throat primly. "Orders from their Okashira to assemble in the dining hall immediately." She and Naruku came to stop a meter or two away from the door. Omasu stared at them, at Misao, and then at Naruku. Not a bit of recognition flashed across her features, and Naruku felt herself shrink back against Misao. She thought she might be greeted with anger or disappointment…but to be forgotten completely?

Omasu's gaze dropped to the perky black mutt beside the two girls and her expression morphed into a frown.

"He can't come in," she said resolutely.

"Whatever you say," Misao assured her, pushing Makkou back and waving him away with a 'shoo!'

Without another word, Omasu bowed and swept away, leaving an empty doorway through which Naruku could glimpse the inside of the Aoiya. The front hall was, predictably, lined with geta and zori sandals, as well as slippers for indoor use. Naruku let her eyes wander over the various paraphernalia that was lying about in the front—unbrellas, coats, fans—before gazing down the hall to where it turned the corner. Trying hard to remember where that hallway led and what that room looked like, Naruku hardly noticed when Misao touched her briefly on the arm and said, "Are you ready?"

Even after all these years, Naruku found comfort in the fact that Misao was looking out for her. She relaxed and nodded, realizing as she answered that it was true. She was ready.

Misao paraded down the hallway as a less confident Naruku shuffled behind her, her face down and her fingers tangled in her belt. What would they say when they saw her? The worst, Naruku decided, would be if they said nothing and did nothing, but simply left her there in front of all of them.

And what of Aoshi? How could she face him? He had been so right about so many things, and she, ever fallible, had not trusted him. Naruku's mind was a forest of worries as she stepped into the dining hall and raised her face to greet all of them.

What she saw was the normal boisterous scuffle of dinner. Okina was pounding on the table, demanding to be fed while Omasu scolded him unkindly. Kuro grinned as he stole Shiro's rice bowl, who didn't notice until it was too late and any signs of the culprit were long gone.

"Now really, Misao, why do you insist on going out to who-knows-where without word of when you'll get home? We've been hungry for hours and we were about to start without you!" Okon was complaining, completely ignoring Naruku.

Naruku let her sight sweep across her old friends' faces. A deep sadness filled her, but along with that was gratitude. These were the people who had raised her, and she had missed them. As her eyes trailed from Okina to Shiro, she realized that in the very corner of the room sat Aoshi, and he was looking directly at her.

Naruku quickly averted her eyes and stared at the pretty shoji doors instead.

"Everyone, everyone, as your Okashira—"

"Who is she kidding?" Kuro elbowed Okina, who only glowered at him.

Misao chose to ignore that comment and continued. "As acting Okashira, I'd like to ask everyone to pay attention and be patient."

This was met with a chorus of outcries, mostly about how hungry they were, and Misao responded sharply. "QUIET YOU!"

They fell silent, save for a few grumbles that Okina offered.

"Now. Everyone. As I was out doing Okashira-related things today, I ran into an old friend."

Everyone stared at Naruku, and she suddenly felt like a rare bird found roosting in Kyoto.

"Konbanwa," she greeted them quietly. "Hello again."

She was greeted by silence and she knew her worst-case scenario had come to life.

After a beat, a strong and deep voice came to her rescue. Aoshi lifted his tea and said simply, "Hello again Naruku."

"Naruku…" Kuro repeated, as if he couldn't believe it. Astounded, he let go of Shiro's rice bowl and it landed on the ground, not breaking but making a loud enough crash that it startled everyone out of their shock.

"What—but, how…and _when—?_" Omasu stuttered, unable to formulate a complete thought.

"Naruku!" Shiro cried joyously, and Naruku found herself smiling despite herself at the ruckus that she was causing.

The suddenly Okina stood up, looking very grim. "Are you planning to stay with us?" he asked, gravity dripping off of each syllable.

"I…thought I would. Just for a little," Naruku replied, bowing her head.

"Good, then make yourself useful and help Omasu bring the food out from the kitchen!" Okina barked. There was a moment of breathless silence, and then Naruku realized this was Okina's way of welcoming her.

No, better than that, he was allowing her to slip back into sync with all of them and act as though nothing had changed between them. Things had changed, of course, they always did, but it was a reassurance that Naruku needed. They all felt the same about her, even now, after all these years. She was still Naruku to them.

"Yes sir!" Naruku replied and grinned childishly before sweeping back into the kitchen, ridiculously pleased at her reunion with the Oniwabanshuu. A moment alone in the kitchen allowed her a quick reflection on all that had changed since she'd last seen these people. Hannya, Beshimi, Shikijo and Hyotokko were gone, but Aoshi had returned to them. And now, Naruku had as well. Both had escaped the clutches of the Takedas, but neither unscathed.

Naruku sat back on her heels, placing her hands on a tray filled with delicious looking cuts of chicken and fish to be served over rice. Her thoughts drifted to Kenshin and the others and for the first time she took in the fact that she really and truly missed them. All of them.

Could she dare to hope to be greeted with open arms as she had here? Somehow coming back to the Aoiya had given her confidence, but she didn't yet know if she could return to Tokyo. Time would tell, she decided, picking up the tray and carrying it cautiously into the next room. For now she would be satisfied with a full meal and playful dinner conversation with old friends.

* * *

**End Notes: **Did that surprise any of you? Probably the most surprising is the letter in the beginning, but don't worry, all will be explained. Hopefully, though, it won't take another six months.

I joke, I joke. Spring break is a lovely time in that I have loads of free time. And who knows? Maybe another chapter will be out before you know it. This and Dovetail are my most important right now, though I still desperately need to finish Rainbows.

Please review and tell me what you think of this long-awaited chapter.


	7. A Lesson in Forgiveness

**Disclaimer: I definitely don't own anything except my own characters.**

Still not dead! Please enjoy this chapter. We are nearing the end of this fic soon and I have started seriously planning out the revised version of Walking on Mirrors. I promise, all the fics I say are going to happen WILL happen. Please be patient and thank you for your support!

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

**A Lesson in Forgiveness **

**Tokkaido Road, Japan**

**7****th**** Year of the Meiji**

**February 3**

_Oji-san,_

_It is my birthday today. I am fourteen now. Since you cannot reach me, I will reach you to tell you that Misao-chan and I are perfectly fine. As you have probably suspected by now, we are searching for Aoshi-kun and the others. Misao will not give up, and neither will I._

_But I am not looking only for Aoshi, Ojiisan. I know you do not approve, but I am also looking for Enizu. I know you don't like him, but please understand, he is my closest link to my father. I love all of you at the Aoiya dearly, but Enizu was there when I became an orphan. I feel as if he is all I truly have left of my father. He took me in and brought me to you, but now I want to be with him._

_You probably won't understand any of this, you'll just think I am silly for trying to find him. You may even hate me for trying. I am afraid to even tell you this, but when I find Enizu, and I will find him, I want him to become my guardian. Please don't think this has anything to do with you. Half my life I spent at the Aoiya, and I was happy. But I just can't stay there any more. _

_I hope that you will still care about me after this—I fear that you won't._

_All my love,_

_Naruku  
_

* * *

Dinner at the Aoiya made Naruku realize all the things she had missed about having a home. And while everyone had been kind and joking with her all night, Naruku still felt an emptiness inside that could not be filled up by food or even laughter. 

"This is not my home," she realized suddenly as she washed the dishes. "It is my childhood and my past and I love these people, but this is not home."

"So where is home, Naruku?"

The voice startled Naruku and she turned to see Aoshi in the doorway. Quietly, he crept over to her and took a stack of dishes to aid in her washing.

"Somewhere," Naruku replied, shaking her head and smiling sadly. "I don't know if I still belong there. I…made a mistake. More than one mistake. I don't know how to go back."

Aoshi was silent after this, and Naruku sneaked a peek at him. He was deep in thought, that much she could tell.

"Have you ever…have you ever felt that way, Aoshi-kun?" Naruku asked lightly.

Aoshi didn't answer for a moment. Then he said, "In fact, I have." And left it at that. They shared another few minutes of washing dishes in silence until Aoshi finally said, "You may not think you can go back, Naruku, but the people who care about you will always welcome you. That much I have learned."

Naruku peered at Aoshi for a long moment as she began drying the dishes.

"I'm glad for you, Aoshi," she said softly, unsure if she meant for him to hear it or not.

He didn't answer.

"I know you probably never wish to speak about Kanryuu Takeda again, but I'm not ready to close that chapter of my life completely. And Aoshi, I remember what you were like back then, in that castle. And I see who you are now. And it gives me hope," Naruku smiled.

Aoshi nodded slowly and Naruku could see a light in his eyes. "Aa."

They finished drying and Naruku headed out of the kitchen.

"Naruku," Aoshi said suddenly, turned toward her. She stopped. "Thank you."

"I could say the very same," Naruku replied and bowed before exiting again, leaving Aoshi in thought at the sink.

Naruku, meanwhile, made her way down the hall to find Misao.

"Misao-chan?" she called, spotting Misao down a hall that Naruku recalled to be Okina's office.

"Hai!" Misao chirped and bounded over to Naruku. "Let's go outside and talk! What do you say?"

"Sure, I'll go make us some tea," Naruku volunteered, heading back toward the kitchen with Misao in tow. She wondered briefly on Aoshi and Misao's relationship and whether it had progressed past the psuedo-sibling relationship they'd had.

The kitchen was empty when they reached it, Aoshi had obviously gone off to bed or perhaps to bathe.

Naruku busied herself with making tea while Misao chatted amicably.

"Anyway, so now _I'm_ Okashira even though Jiiya and Omasu didn't even want me to be an Oniwaban," Misao proclaimed proudly.

"I was wondering about that," Naruku commented, mostly to show her friend that she was, in fact, listening.

"Yeah, I'm just about the youngest Okashira there ever was! Except for Aoshi-sama, of course," Misao added. "But I found out a couple months ago that I'm not the first girl to be Okashira. Can you imagine?"

Misao launched into a story about a woman whose comrades had all fallen and who had taken up the title of Okashira herself during the Edo period of Japan.

"And my mom and dad actually named me after her! Unbelievable, right?" Misao chirped, as if she had not just been talking about the total destruction of an entire ninja clan.

"That's obviously fate, Misao," Naruku replied. "Or else your parents knew you were going to become something big."

"Maybe," Misao nodded along. "Tea done yet?"

Naruku tried her very best to prolong the making of tea until it was absolutely clear that the tea was ready. Her reasons for doing so settled heavily on her left hip. Finally, she sighed quietly and said, "Yes Misao, it's done."

Pouring it into two slightly chipped cups, Naruku set everything on a tray and gave it to Misao to carry outside.

"Let's sit on the back porch, it's so pretty at night and we're running out of opportunities to go outside at night because it's getting colder," Misao offered, leading the way there.

"It's nice," Naruku countered as they reached the back porch and sat down on the steps. The sky was bright with stars and Naruku could see the sliver of moon still left in the sky. Or maybe it was the first sliver of moon. She couldn't remember, despite countless nights spent outside in the past weeks.

As Naruku quietly sipped her tea, she noticed Misao's eyes on her, waiting for her to being. She knew it was her story Misao was waiting to hear, and hadn't asked her to talk simply to tell her of namesakes and weather.

Naruku quietly sighed and put her cup down. In the past month, the choices she had made had been disastrous. Despite good intentions, Naruku had ruined many things for herself. This was one thing she wasn't going to ruin.

"I guess you've been wondering what happened to me since we last saw each other," Naruku said, and tried not to recall in too fine detail what had happened when she left Misao those years ago. "And I owe it to you to tell you."

Misao was silent.

"But…there's a lot of things involved…it's complicated…and I want to tell it to you right. So…" Naruku dropped her head and reached for her brown satchel. She looped it back over shoulder and set it down between her and Misao.

"What's this?" Misao asked quietly, looking at the bag but not reaching to touch it just yet.

Naruku didn't have to look at the bag. She'd seen it for the past nineteen or so nights in a row. She looked at it, worn it, touched it and knew its contents by heart.

"They're letters," she answered simply.

Only then did Misao reach out to touch the bag. She flipped the cloth top over so the inside of the bag was exposed. Inside were bundles of letters. Wet, dirty and wrinkled, these letters had been through much. Misao carefully removed the first of the bundles and unwound the twine.

"They're for you," Naruku added when Misao looked unable to proceed.

"Why?" Misao asked.

Only then did Naruku turn to look Misao in the eye. "Because…because I've written to you so much over the past four years and I think it's finally time you see what I've written."

Misao didn't answer but instead looked down at her lap at the first of the letters. "This one's to Okina," she said softly.

"The rest are to you," Naruku assured her, and reached for the letter, but Misao held fast to it.

She looked at Naruku questioningly. "Can I read it anyway?"

Naruku slowly nodded and watched as Misao unfolded the letter and read it quickly.

It was the one Naruku had written on her fourteenth birthday, assuring everyone at the Aoiya that she and Misao were safe and revealing her plan to find Enizu. At the end, Naruku had put in the quiet plea of a child unsure of their family's love.

"So…" Misao started. "Did you…did you think Okina hated you?"

"I did," Naruku said easily. "And it was not until tonight that I realized he didn't. I don't know if I would have forgiven myself. Read the next one."

Misao did so, and when she was done she looked at Naruku with a new hurt in her eyes. Naruku looked at the letter and took it from Misao's limp grasp.

_Misao-chan, _the letter started. _I feel I have to tell you the truth about why I stayed._

"And this…_is _this the truth?" Misao asked, the weight of the question evident in her voice.

"In a sense," Naruku answered, and watched as Misao's eyes flew to the ground. "Aoshi _did_ leave to protect us. And I _did _find Aoshi after I left you. And I didn't tell you because I knew he didn't want you to see him as he was. He was…well, you can imagine, Misao, what working for a man like Kanryuu did to him. He was emotionless, cruel and hard. It hurt me to see him, and I know it hurt him, too. But I know it would have destroyed him if you saw him like that. That's why I never told you he was there. That's why I never sent that letter."

"And the…" Misao swallowed, her throat very dry. "And the rest? Was it true?"

"No," Naruku said at once. "Enizu misled me more than I could have imagined. Aoshi's reasons for hating Enizu so were obvious—Enizu was everything Aoshi despised in a man. The worse part was that the more I watched Aoshi become the heartless thing that he was, the more I saw him hate Enizu. He was becoming a man not so different from Enizu, but Aoshi didn't realize that at his core, he was still a good man. Enizu never was. And as for Aoshi having feelings for me of any sort—that was a lie Enizu made up for my benefit. He didn't want me to grow close to Aoshi and he needed to give me a reason to leave you. He led me to believe that if I left you, I would remove the chance of hurting you."

"So he lied," Misao said, and the color seemed to return to her face.

"Of course, Misao," Naruku replied. "It took me until I broke free from Enizu to realize it, but Aoshi could never love someone the way he loved you. I know this because the only time I saw a glimmer of the real Aoshi during our stay at the Takeda mansion was when he asked me if you were safe," Naruku recalled, but Misao was shaking her head slowly.

"I don't…" she trailed off. "A lot has happened since Aoshi returned to us, Naruku. I think I was just fooling myself to think that Aoshi could ever see me as… as someone he could love and marry and…" she shook her head again, blushing. "And to be honest, Naruku, I'm not sure I can love him that way either."

This shocked Naruku but she stayed quiet as Misao continued, speaking like she was off somewhere else.

"It's just…this idea of Aoshi that I love so much. Tell me, Naruku, did you ever think you'd fallen in love with Enizu?" Misao asked, suddenly turning to look at Naruku.

Naruku was too stunned to do anything but nod.

"And what was it that made you feel that way?" Misao pressed.

"Well…it was how sweet he seemed," Naruku replied, feeling the weight in her mouth at the mere mention of Enizu's façade. His mask he had worn for years, the game he had played with her. "And how it seemed like he could always protect me. I know now I never truly loved him—otherwise I could never hate him as I do. And I do hate him, Misao, for many reasons, but above all else _because _he made me think I loved him. But yes, Misao, I did think that at one point. I believed that wanting to be safe and wanting to love someone was the same thing as really loving them."

"It's the same with Aoshi," Misao replied. "It was how it seemed like he could protect me. How I thought it might feel to be loved by someone."

"It's not the same!" Naruku argued, her sharp voice piercing the night and surprising both of them. "It's not. What was between Enizu and I was a manipulation, a distorted truth. You and Aoshi…I always thought you were made to be together."

"No one is made to be together," Misao said, shrugging. "And Aoshi and I definitely aren't."

She said it with such finality that Naruku fell silent. Was her young, naïve friend finally growing up and moving forward? Had she truly gotten over Aoshi, and was it for good?

"You said this was your last letter," Misao said, finally folding up the letter that had caused so much conflict for Naruku. "What are all these?" She motioned inside the bag where three more bundles scrunched together.

"I was planning for that to be the last letter I would ever send you," Naruku agreed. "But I couldn't bring myself to send it. It was my cowardice that you would hate me and the fear that you would try and find me. But after I didn't send that one I wrote another. And another. I send none of them but I continued to write them. They're all in there."

Misao glanced back down into the bag and back up to Naruku. "Why?"

That was a question Naruku hadn't been prepared for. Why had she written all those letters? Why had she carried on her make-believe correspondence with Misao? Why had she felt the need to tell someone about her life with Enizu?

Naruku's answer came out slow and unsure. "I…because…I missed you," Naruku said, but she knew that wasn't the whole reason. "I missed you and I needed someone to talk to. I…I thought I was happy with Enizu, but I didn't want to realize that it wasn't anything like what I wanted. I needed to tell someone that, hoping that they could work it out for me and tell me. Hoping someone would come rescue me," Naruku ended in a whisper. She was surprised to feel a wet lump in the back of her throat and tears behind her eyes.

"Naruku," Misao said, and dropped the stack of letters to enfold her friend in her arms. The letters all fell to the floor in a flurry, some opening up as if to be read by the night sky.

And Misao quietly held Naruku as she cried, the words of her past scattered on the floor in front of her.

Naruku's crying stopped some minutes later and she drew away from Misao, smiling gratefully. Misao stooped to pick up the fallen letters and handed them to Naruku, but she shook her head.

"I don't want them. You have them. I don't care what you do with them. Read them, throw them in a lake, it doesn't matter. It's all a part of me now," Naruku said, and put a fist over her heart. "The words are here."

Misao nodded like she understood and in a way, she did. But she wanted to understand more about her friend, more about the girl who had been so alone and trapped for four years of her life. Misao felt another wave of sadness for her friend.

"But Naruku…you haven't explained yet how you escaped Enizu and why you're here," Misao said.

"You're right," Naruku replied. "I haven't."

She gave Misao a lopsided smile and Misao realized she was saying she wasn't going to tell the story.

When Misao didn't stop staring at her, Naruku said, "It's a long story, Misao. And I'm tired."

Misao's gaze did not relent and Naruku said, "I promise, I _promise_ you Misao, I _will_ tell you. Not tonight. Please."

Finally Misao let her gaze drop.

Naruku got to her feet and helped Misao to hers. Misao bent down and took Naruku's bag full of letters as Naruku crossed the threshold inside, carrying the tray of their empty tea cups.

At the doorway, Naruku turned. "Thank you, Misao," she said, and truly meant it.

* * *

Yahiko watched through hooded eyes as Kaoru knelt in front of her father's alter in the dojo, her body choked with tears. She bowed her head to the wooden cove, the bokken gleaming there and the tablet inscribed with her father's name. 

It was the third time in the past week that Yahiko had witnessed this. Kaoru came here and bowed her head and prayed, as if asking for her father's advice.

This time she was crying. It was not her father's advice she was asking for this time, it was his forgiveness.

"It's not fair," Yahiko whispered to himself, his grip tightening on the door frame. "It's not _fair._"

Why should Kaoru have to lose everything that meant something to her? Why was this even happening to them? What would happen to them?

Yahiko felt a deep wave of guilt wash over him. He had been living off Kaoru's kindness for so long, and not once had he found a way to give something back. And now it was too late.

Kaoru's classes at the Maekawa dojo had stopped. There simply weren't enough people anymore. Kaoru's one true skill, her art, was dying, and she had no way to support herself.

_Look at us…_ Yahiko thought bitterly. _We can beat men like Shishio and stop people from terrorizing innocents on the street, but we can't do anything to save our home. _

There was no one in the city willing to hire Kaoru, Yahiko or Kenshin. Even Sano had tried, but his reputation as a freeloading gambler was too apparent.

Yahiko turned away from the doorway, and from the sight of Kaoru's crumpled, beaten form. He looked up in front of him, and there was Kenshin, witnessing the very same thing.

Kenshin's gaze lowered to Yahiko and he put a hand on his shoulder.

"How can this be happening, Kenshin?" Yahiko asked, his eyes wide as he asked, as if he truly believed Kenshin had the answer.

Kenshin could only offer the shake of his head. "It shouldn't be…but it is."

Yahiko gave a small nod. Kenshin's hand dropped off his shoulders and Yahiko peered up at him. He had a dark, contemplative expression.

"What are you thinking, Kenshin?" Yahiko asked quietly.

Kenshin was surprised at the question. But slowly, he answered, "I am thinking…Naruku should be here."

The answer shocked Yahiko. He hadn't thought Kenshin would think of something as mundane as that.

"It was her choice to run away," Yahiko mumbled.

"But she did not know this would happen," Kenshin countered. "This is Naruku-dono's home too. It wouldn't be fair for her to lose it without even knowing."

"She gave up the right of knowing when she left," a gruff voice replied from the gate.

"Sano?"

Kenshin and Yahiko both turned to look at their street-tough friend, leaning against the fencepost across the yard. Upon being spotted, he uncrossed his arms and ambled over to the two other men.

"Face it Kenshin, Naruku's not coming back here. You know that. The sooner you accept it, the sooner we can all move on to the important things," Sano said, and even Yahiko thought it sounded a little harsh.

Kenshin smiled a little weakly in reply. "I appreciate your concern, Sano, but I still thinks Naruku will return. In fact, I'm quite sure of it."

Sano scowled and asked, "How's that?"

"She told me," Kenshin replied simply, and when that did not seem to convince Sano he said, "Only an extreme amount of guilt could drive Naruku from here. She will forgive herself, in time, and then she will return."

"She told you that, huh?" Sano asked, his tone impatient. "She told you all that and you believe it?"

"I never…I never told you what happened the day that she left. Or what happened the night that Enizu and I fought."

At these words, Sanosuke was momentarily subdued. Yahiko looked up at Kenshin, the man he trusted above all else, with a questioning gaze.

Kenshin sighed and slowly made his way toward the house without a glance at either Yahiko or Sano. The two shared a significant look and followed Kenshin into the house. They sat silently in the dining room while Kenshin boiled a pot of tea.

Suddenly a ringing voice from the front hall came into the room.

"Kenshin? Is that you in the kitchen?" Kaoru's high voice asked.

"Hai Kaoru-dono, come join us in the dining room," Kenshin called back.

Kaoru quickly changed into her house slippers and shuffled into the room. She was surprised to see both Yahiko and Sano sitting there, saying nothing. They turned their eyes on her somberly.

"What's going on here?" Kaoru asked, her brow furrowed.

If Yahiko looked closely, he could see the traces of tears on her cheeks. He decided not to say anything. "Kenshin's about to tell us what happened when he fought Enizu," Yahiko said instead.

"Oh," Kaoru's expression changed to something almost indecipherable as she sat down beside Sano.

Kenshin then entered the room with a tray containing five teacups and a steaming pot of tea. As usual, Sano declined to have any, so Kenshin poured for Yahiko, Kaoru and himself.

He took a few sips of his tea, thinking of a way to begin. He thought back to that night, and could recall with excellent detail the way Enizu had stared at him, hatred fuming in his eyes. He could remember the sharp sound of their swords clashing, the sight of Naruku's broken form as she collapsed in the doorway, a moment too late. It had been over a month since that night, and Kenshin could remember everything, every turn his sword made.

"Our lives were always impossibly entwined," Kenshin began slowly. "Naruku, Enizu and I. None of us knew it until that night."

* * *

**End Notes: **Hm...lots of story telling going on. Even more in the next chapter. But you'll see. 

Speaking of the next chapter, it shouldn't be long before it's done because I've already started on it and it's flowing very easily. I have a plan that will carry me through to the end of this fic so hopefully it won't be long before you see the 'owari.'

Review please and tell me what you think!


	8. A Lesson in Hope

**Disclaimer: I disclaim everything.**

So this was a relatively quick update. Since summer is so incredibly close, updates should become more and more frequent on all my stories. Yay!

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

**A Lesson in Hope **

**Tokyo, Japan**

**11th Year of the Meiji**

**October 21**

_Aoshi,_

_I am writing to you from the dojo in Tokyo. I don't know if Kaoru-dono has had any correspondence with you or Misao in the past months, but I am writing now to ask a favor._

_There is a friend of ours who is very dear to me. She left our home not three weeks ago. Before now, there was no reason to try and find her, but recent news about the dojo have changed my mind. I hope to find this friend of mine before she loses her home. I have no idea how to reach her as she left on a course unknown to anyone, including herself. However, she is a smart girl and as the days get colder, I know she will be moving south, toward Kyoto. I doubt she is far off from the Tokkaido Pass._

_Her name is Naruku and I ask that you and Misao do anything in your power to help us find her before it is too late. I give you my thanks._

_Himura Kenshin  
_

* * *

"Misao," Aoshi said in a low tone, interrupting Misao's morning training. She stopped mid kick and turned to him. 

"Hai?"

"Go find Naruku," Aoshi instructed. "A letter just arrived for her."

"A letter?" Misao asked, curious.

"Yes. Go find her," Aoshi replied, and folded up a piece of parchment and slipped it in his pocket.

Misao furrowed her eyes but did as she was told. As Aoshi waited in the yard, a forest of questions sprouted in his mind. He had already ruled out the possibility that the Naruku Kenshin had spoken about was different than the one at their very home right now. After all, how many young women took to traveling on their own and bore the name 'Naruku?'

Few, Aoshi answered himself. He untucked the letter from his pocket and read it over. How did Naruku come across Kenshin? Did this mean that Enizu had succeeded in his endeavor to find the famed Battousai? Obviously he had not succeeded in killing Kenshin, but that was already a known fact. After all, no man could kill the Battousai except for Aoshi.

He smirked at this thought and recalled the single-mindedness withwhich he had pursued a battle with Kenshin. He frowned and thought that this was not so different from Enizu. Even the name made Aoshi's anger flare up, despite his normally cool demeanor.

"Aoshi?" a softer, older voice called from the steps.

Aoshi turned to see Naruku there.

"There's a letter for me?" she asked, and Misao appeared behind her. The two shuffled outside toward Aoshi.

"Indeed," Aoshi said, and gave the letter to Naruku.

"This is addressed to you," Naruku said, confused. But she glanced down at the end of the letter and the paper dropped from her grip. Misao swooped to catch it.

"Hey, what's the big d—" Misao stopped upon reading one or two lines of the letter. She turned and stared at Naruku, who was speechless.

"_You_ know Himura?" Misao asked, her eyes wide. "How? What happened? What's going on?" She glanced toward Aoshi and saw that he was simply waiting for Naruku to speak.

When the girl did nothing but stare, completely still, at the letter in front of her, Aoshi spoke, "I was hoping Naruku could tell us."

"I…I guess it's time I explained why I'm here," Naruku decided. "I hadn't thought…" she paused. "I didn't think you'd know Kenshin," she said, looking at Misao. "And I didn't even remember that you'd fought him all those months ago," she added to Aoshi. "That was when they…when they died, though, wasn't it?" she suddenly looked very concerned.

"It was by Kanryuu's hand, and no one else's, that the Oniwbanshuu of Edo met their end," Aoshi assured her. "But come, tell us where you fit into this story."

"I'd like to know where _you _fit into this story as well," Naruku replied, looking from him to Misao. "How did you come to meet Kenshin and the others?"

"It's a long story," Misao said, her gaze fixed on Aoshi, looking for a reaction.

"I'm willing to listen," Naruku answered. "If you are."

Aoshi gave the tiniest nod of his head, encouraging Misao to begin the story. And so she did, telling of her first meeting with Kenshin and everything it led to. She tried her best to explain the details surrounding Shishio and the impending fight. She hesitantly revealed Aoshi's part in Shishio's plot, and how he ultimately chose what was most important to him and helped defeat Shishio in the end. She told in vivid detail how she, Kaoru, Yahiko and the Oniwaban had defended the Aoiya righteously. She explained about Saitou and what a jerk he was, even though he and Sano had been very useful in defeating Shishio. Misao looked to Aoshi to fill in details she had forgotten or never knew about in the first place, and he did so without wavering.

"That's only eight of the ten swords," Naruku realized after Misao had begun to tell of the final battle with Shishio.

"Huh?" Misao thought a moment. "You're right. I left out Fuji."

And so she explained about the giant man and his horrid master who, as Misao put it, 'everyone just wanted to punt across town.'

"But then Kenshin's master, Hiko—I never told you about him but he's a _huge_—"

"Jerk?" Naruku supplied suddenly, a smile coming across her face.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Misao asked.

"I met him," Naruku answered. "Not long ago. Just before I came here."

She and Misao swapped stories about his egotism for a moment before Misao continued the story and finished it with Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko, Sano and Megumi returning home to Tokyo.

"I just can't believe it," Naruku said after a beat. "You did all that with them…I never even knew."

"Aw, you mean they didn't talk about us?" Misao pouted.

"Not once," Naruku responded. "That I can remember."

"Well, now you have to tell us everything," Misao concluded. She paused for a moment upon seeing Naruku's face and realizing it was not going to be an easy story to tell.

But Naruku put on a smile and began. "Well it really starts before I even met Kenshin. When Kanryuu Takeda was arrested. We—Enizu and I, that is—" Naruku didn't notice the clenching of Aoshi's fist. "were in Sendai at the time, and when the news came that Kanryuu had been arrested, by none other than the Battousai, he lost it. Not only was our money all gone, but now everyone who Kanryuu had yet to repay were after Enizu. He did the only thing he could think of to escape them—he used me as a scapegoat. He told me to go to Tokyo and that he would find me there and I believed him… I actually…" Naruku paused and caught her breath. "Anyway, I suppose after everything Enizu put me through, there's at least one thing I can thank him for. And that's for abandoning me and sending me to Tokyo. If he hadn't done that, I never would have met Kenshin and the others."

And so Naruku closed her eyes and thought about the dojo, about home, and about Kenshin in every way she had _not_ thought about them for the past three weeks. As images and memories surfaced in her mind, Naruku unfolded her story like a new fan, spreading its pleats so that nothing was hidden.

* * *

"Our lives were always impossibly entwined," Kenshin began slowly. "Naruku, Enizu and I. None of us knew it until that night." 

"You mean…the night you fought Enizu," Yahiko stated, phrasing it almost like a question but not quite.

Kenshin nodded patiently. "Yes, Yahiko. Something you all must understand is that Naruku did not come to this dojo searching for me. She was abandoned by Enizu and when she met me, she truly had no idea of my identity. None of that was a lie on her part. She did not mean to harm us by coming here."

"So then why didn't she stop Enizu? Why did she lead him to you? Or didn't she know that he wanted to kill you?" Kaoru asked, her voice quiet.

Kenshin met her eyes without hesitancy. "It is true, Naruku was well aware of Enizu's grudge against this one. She knew of his plans to kill me. She even tried to stop him, but by then it was too late. And before that, if you all recall, she tried to leave to protect us. It was this one…this one who convinced her to stay. I didn't know at what cost I was asking this of her, but had I known, I still would have wanted it. Naruku-dono belongs here, and I truly believe that."

* * *

"When I found out that Enizu was looking for me and wanted to take me back to Sendai with him, I did the only thing I could do," Naruku said, looking heartbreakingly guilty. 

"Did you tell him where Himura was?" Aoshi asked, his voice no more gentle than it had been before. And yet Naruku felt he was comforting her.

"I had to," she said. "Enizu wanted to take me away. And I _couldn't­_—I couldn't just leave. Being there had filled me with joy in a way I hadn't felt since I left the Aoiya, and I couldn't let go of that. I know it was wrong—it was awful and selfish but I couldn't bear to leave. So I told Enizu about Kenshin, knowing it would convince him to let me stay. And it worked, of course."

"But weren't you worried that Enizu would try and attack Kenshin?" Misao asked.

Naruku turned to her. "Of course I was worried. Every day I woke up, not knowing if Enizu would try to hurt them. My worst fear was that Enizu would slip up and expose me for what I was—would tell Kenshin that I was lying, that I knew Enizu was there to hurt him. I couldn't bear it. I finally decided to try to convince Enizu to leave. He had acted perfectly throughout the past week and I thought perhaps killing Kenshin didn't mean anything to him anymore. I hoped that in losing everything, Enizu had realized what a mistake he was making by trying to kill Kenshin.

"I was wrong, of course. Enizu was no less the hateful, envious man he'd been before. But just like he had with me, he hid it well from Kenshin and the others. He still meant to kill Kenshin."

"So why didn't you just _tell_ Kenshin and the others about Enizu?" Misao pleaded. "You knew in your heart they wouldn't hate you if you warned them against him!"

Naruku gazed at Misao sadly, wishing she _had_ known that and wishing she'd had the strength to tell them. "It wasn't that simple, Misao."

* * *

"So what?" Sano asked, scoffing in a typical way. "So she made a few half-assed attempts to lead Enizu away. In the end she was too weak to do it, even though she _knew_ what would happen. And yeah, I'm glad she didn't intend to hurt us from the moment she met us, but come _on._ She could have told us what Enizu was there for!" 

"It is true, Naruku-dono made a mistake by not telling us who Enizu was. But yet another thing to think about is that Naruku-dono had known Enizu for almost her entire life. This one does not think Naruku was entirely sure where she stood between Enizu and I."

"You're not…are you saying that it's possible Naruku could have sided with Enizu? Against you?" Yahiko asked incredulously.

Kenshin was hesitant to agree. "I believe that for as long as Naruku could, she put off the choice. Once she told us about Enizu, it would have been a clear disloyalty to him. But she couldn't betray us, either.

"So she just…chose to do nothing," Kaoru said dully.

* * *

"I couldn't betray either one of them. I couldn't tell Kenshin the truth and I couldn't help Enizu, either." 

"So you did nothing," Aoshi commented, his words without judgment.

"Yes. And it was the worst thing I could have done, but I only realize that now," Naruku replied. "Sano had his suspicions about Enizu. He didn't like him from the moment they met. He had the best chance of exposing Enizu—of exposing me. It got to a point where I almost wanted him to. I was too cowardly to take action myself, but not so far gone that I didn't want Kenshin and the others to know the danger they were in."

"Did you ever tell them? Or was it Enizu who exposed himself?" Misao asked, breathless for the answer.

"I…I realized, after certain events, that I _had_ to do something. So I went to Enizu. I begged him to leave Kenshin alone. I begged him to leave with me. I was ready to leave to keep them safe, finally. If only I had been in the beginning." Naruku shook her head slowly, recalling. "But Enizu wouldn't listen. Of course he wouldn't listen! I knew then that his quest for Kenshin had been the deepest, most selfish wish of his heart. He had disguised it as something he was doing for me—killing the man who _supposedly_ killed my father. But it was at that moment that I first saw Enizu for what he truly was—a monster, out for blood and nothing more. It was only then that I even imagined telling Kenshin, and I rushed back to the dojo as quickly as I could but—" Naruku stopped abruptly, a look of pain flashing across her face. "But I was too late."

* * *

"I had suspicions about Enizu, that I did. However, it had more to do with Naruku-dono than it did with him. She was very…different around him, which led me to believe their relationship was unbalanced. I feared for her, because I didn't want her to become the girl we first met. I believe part of the reason Naruku did not speak up was the nature of her and Enizu's relationship. She was so used to him…controlling her." 

Kenshin paused a moment and waited while the others thought about this. When Naruku had first met them, she was quiet, almost _too_ obedient and demure. It took a while, but eventually Naruku had warmed to all of them, including Kenshin.

"It never occurred to me to fear for my own life. But when Enizu arrived at the dojo that evening, I knew what he was there for. It was suddenly very clear, and Naruku had been just a tool to him."

As Kenshin said this, something suddenly dawned on Yahiko. He turned and glanced at both Sano and Kaoru, but neither of them noticed anything.

"Kenshin," Yahiko said, interrupting the older man. "Megumi said…when she was treating yours and Naruku's wounds, she said that if it hadn't been for Naruku, you could have died."

Kenshin nodded slowly. "That is true, Yahiko. Enizu and I fought for a very long time, each of us pushing the other harder, but eventually our battle was broken by Naruku. She…" Kenshin paused, as if remembering. "She made her choice that night, and it was a choice that saved my life. And I am grateful for that."

A silence encompassed the room as this proclamation sunk in for Kaoru, Sano and Yahiko.

"So…that's why…that's why you think she's coming back?" Kaoru asked, unsure.

"Before Naruku-dono left, she spoke to me. She knew…certain things about my past that I'd never told anyone before. She told me that it made her think about everything that had happened in a different way. And she told me how she felt about it—everything she had felt since she'd met me, and I knew that feeling. It was a feeling of being caught between your past and your present. And this was the feeling that led Naruku to leave. In a way, Naruku wanted to start over by leaving. At the same time, she knew if I continued to trust her and believe in her, she could finally return. Naruku made many mistakes in her life, and it took meeting us for her to realize that. So yes, Sano, I do believe Naruku-dono will return to us. And yes, Kaoru-dono, that is why I think she is coming back."

* * *

"So you see, Misao, after everything I did I _had_ to leave. I couldn't stay knowing Kenshin almost died because of me. And I can't return until they forgive me," she said quietly, glancing at Aoshi for a moment before her gazed dropped. 

Misao put a comforting hand on her shoulder, unsure of what to say.

"It is more likely that you are not returning because you cannot forgive yourself," Aoshi said candidly.

Naruku looked up at him. "Perhaps," she answered listlessly. "But it's the same either way. Going back would only—"

Aoshi opened his mouth to cut her off, but it was Misao who took action. Her hand, which seconds before had been comforting Naruku with a gentle touch on the shoulder, screamed across Naruku's left cheek, knocking the girl to the ground where she sat on her hands and knees, staring in shock at the dirt.

"That's a load of bull and you know it," Misao said forcefully. She looked at Aoshi for a moment and noted that he looked somewhat…content with her actions. This encouraged her to press on. "You care about Kenshin and they know you do! This isn't a time to get all mopey and wishy-washy. Either you've really changed Naruku, or you were never the girl I thought you were."

Misao said this with such burning pride and condescension in her voice that Naruku had to look up. Was her sweet, naïve Misao really saying those things to her? Such biting words…

Naruku slowly got to her feet, looking at her surroundings unsurely. "It's not that _simple, _Misao—"

"It _is_ that simple!" the younger girl countered angrily, advancing toward Naruku. "You're the one who's making it so difficult. I want to see you _happy,_ Naruku, and you'll never be happy if you torture yourself by staying away from the ones you love most! How can you be happy without the people who _make you_ happy?"

"I won't be happy there if they hate me," Naruku replied, drawing toward Misao as well. The two were face to face.

"There's a reason Kenshin wrote to us, asking to help find you! He wants you back, don't you get it? He doesn't blame you, he _misses _you! That's all there is to it!"

"Actually Misao, that's _not_ all there is to it," Aoshi said dryly, his arms crossed in front of him as he watched the two girls break apart hastily.

"It's not?" Misao asked, echoed closely by Naruku.

Aoshi procured the letter once again and Misao snatched it up, reading it through furiously for an answer. Naruku read over her shoulder, her eyes darkening as she went on.

Suddenly Misao's intent expression dropped off her face and she started crumpling the letter, an exasperated look on her face. "What's this rubbish supposed to mean? It's not like anyone can actually read it, his handwriting's so bad…" Misao grumbled.

"Misao!" Naruku exclaimed, snatching the letter and unfolding it in her hands. She read through the end of it and glanced over at Aoshi.

"That letter is more than it seems," Aoshi said. "Don't you wonder, why after three weeks Himura suddenly needed to find Naruku, so desperately that he would ask _our_ help?"

"You're right, it's not like Himura to ask anyone for help!" Misao said. "Except when he's doing it for their sake. Like when he told Kaoru-chan to protect the Aoiya when he went and fought Shishio," she added matter-of-factly.

Naruku and Aoshi both paused to stare at her, wondrous that she could be so perceptive. Misao didn't notice anything.

"He did say something about the dojo…" Naruku said, looking back down at the letter.

"And he mentioned he didn't want Naruku to lose her home," Aoshi added.

Naruku's eyes were wide with realization. "I thought that meant…but…"

Aoshi nodded grimly as Naruku trailed off.

"Something's happening to the dojo?" Misao asked, suddenly concerned.

"Something indeed," Aoshi answered. "And in asking us to find Naruku, I believe Himura is asking our help in another way as well."

"That's _really_ not like Himura!" Misao chirruped. "This is getting really sticky really fast. But—" she glanced meaningfully at Naruku as she continued, "I guess this means we've got to just follow Himura's advice if we want to find anything out."

"Advice?" Naruku asked, glancing at the young ninja girl. "What advice?"

Misao grinned broadly at the other girl. "Whether you like it or not, Naruku, it looks like we're headed to Tokyo."

* * *

**End Notes: **As promised, even more story-telling this chapter. And since this is a fic that really deals with the link between past and present, the stories are not over yet! But yet again I will let you wait until the next chapter(s) to find out. 

Thanks for reading and please tell me what you think!


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